Pokemon Colosseum: Global Meeting
by Digi-Dolphin
Summary: In the land of Johto, nothing is as it seems, and with tensions rising between Seth and the Hoenn trainers, can they hope to band together to find Silver, Red, and stop Team Samba, or will Seth return to his Snagem ways against his own heart's will?
1. Unclear As Crystal

A/N: This one is going to be tricky, and probably shorter than Global Warning, but I hope it's still as good. More twists are coming up and I'm doing my best to keep things straight, my notes tend to wander when my mind does. Anyways, enjoy this next part of the Global Destruction series!

* * *

Prologue

Cipher has at last put their plans into motion. With new information coming in from the regions of Hoenn, Johto and Kanto, and paper records of the data from Orre still sealed within their living server's mind, the corporation begins to make steps towards the activation and implementation of their greatest creation; the Earth Seal.

What many don't know is what exactly Earth Seal could be. The answers to that lie within the copy of records in Nett's hands, slowly being opened in The Under, and within Cipher's server, Project: WSLY.

Project: WSLY, a codename for Team Snagem's only Snagger, known commonly as Seth, is also mentioned in the few de-coded records as being a piece needed to fully activate the Earth Seal.

Team Venus, a branch of Cipher's many sub-groups, made its attack on the Elite Four of Hoenn, attempting to gather funds for the final move by conquering the eight Gyms of the region and additional Shadow Pokémon troops by stealing them from the Elites. Though the attacks looked realistic enough to be thought of as the final push for domination, they were in actuality a bait of sorts. Bait for Seth and the legendary Pokémon of the world.

This trick worked. Upon hearing from Nett about distress calls from Hoenn's Professor Birch, Seth and Rui made their way to the war-torn region to recapture the missing Shadow Pokémon and defeat Team Venus. They met with the local heroes, May Thorne and Brendan Birch, along the way. It was also in Hoenn that Seth met the two legendary Pokémon partially responsible for his creation, Groudon and Kyogre. Through them, he began to fully comprehend his new and growing ability to understand Pokémon language, but new abilities began to emerge, those that he may not want.

It is also in Hoenn that the dangers of what he is and may become grow more and more apparent. Earth Seal is waiting for the coming of a super-legendary Pokémon to unleash itself upon the world; the Pokémon that now exist are realizing a legendary in the making among them and fear what it may do if under the dark influence.

Even now, as Seth, Rui and their new allies, Brendan and May, make their way to New Bark Town and Professor Elm of Johto, the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh leaves its hidden home in Orre and summons aid in the form of Latios and Jirachi, still free and secreted in Hoenn, then make their way to Johto. It is in Johto that they hope to find Celebi without the aid of Seth's Time Flute, and the legendary Sea's Great Guardian, Lugia. Only by gathering all of the legendary Pokémon, can the world hope to fight against the Earth Seal, but in bringing them together in one place, they may also seal their own destruction...

* * *

Ch 1

May watched with a raised eyebrow as Rui changed the bandages surrounding Seth's shoulder, the Snagger's jacket, shirt and Snag Machine set on one of the plane's many seats. Brendan sat beside her, making calls back to his father on how things were going and assuring him that all was still well with the group. They had only an hour left to land in New Bark Town and Rui had decided it would be best to change the bandage before then so as to avoid infection and keep him somewhat limber for the upcoming battles.

"Honestly, you should have told me sooner that the Blaziken had stabbed you there! You've lost blood in that water and for all we know some meat-eating Pokemon could have followed you and _ooooh_!" she shuddered at the sudden image that came into her head and quickly tied the bandage up. "There, that should do it." Seth rotated his arm and tested it, smiling back at her.

"Thanks. To be truthful, I hadn't thought of the injury until after you spotted the stain on my jacket. I was just trying to get myself out of the water." he replied and picked up his clothing to redress. "All right, anyone know anything about Johto, or are we gonna have to bug the Professor for a map, too?"

"Bother him for a map. Neither one of us has ever set foot in Johto." Brendan muttered, "What do I look like? A friggin' world-hopper?" Seth shot him a venomous look before pulling his shirt over his head. "Anyways, I figure if we find their local League Champion, he should be able to guide us around and fight with us."

"You were underwater a long time, Seth. How did you manage to keep from drowning?" May asked curiously, pulling out her Master Ball and studying it as she talked.

"I held my breath, how else? And I almost _did_ drown, no thanks to that idiot Tentacruel." the Snagger answered coolly, slinging on his jacket and then sliding the Snag Machine on into place.

"You probably wouldn't have if you had just dumped that thing on your arm." she pointed out, tossing the ball back and forth in her hands. "What's so important about that stupid machine that you'd keep it on even if it weighs you down?"

"That's none of your business." Seth grumbled and shut his eyes as the plane descended to land, "Why couldn't we have taken a boat or something?"

* * *

Professor Elm pushed back on his glasses and looked a little embarrassed, waving tentatively at Seth and the group. The Snagger raised an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.

"Ah, well. Um. I didn't think you'd be so... uh..." the brunet scientist started, trying to smile brightly and failing miserably, "Well, um, I'm not sure what to say. Brendan, May and Rui, correct? You're quite welcome here in Johto." He blinked in surprise and tried to amend himself, staring at Seth. "Not to say that you're not, uh, Seth, is it? You're um... greatly appreciated here? I suppose?" He floundered for a bit, rubbing his head and stuffing his hand into his pocket as he tried to figure out what he was trying to say.

"This is pathetic. Do you have a map, yes or no? We don't have much time if the situation here is as bad as you said it was." Seth griped. Prof. Elm swallowed and pulled out a Poké Gear, handing it out to him with a ginger grip. He jumped and yelped when Seth snatched it and shot him an angry look. "You act like I'm going to kill you! Get over yourself already!" the Snagger snapped and handed the devices to Rui.

"Um, that's a Poké Gear. It's an all in one device developed for trainers to keep in touch. There's a map, phone and radio built into it. Buttons for functions are along the side." Prof. Elm told her, "I've already put Silver's number there, so you can keep trying to contact..."

"You will do no such thing!" a girl suddenly yelled out. The group turned in surprise to see a girl their age glaring at them. Her outfit was similar to May's only in bright colors with a yellow cap on her head. Her gray ponytails were tied low on her head and swept forward over her shoulders.

"Who're you?" Brendan asked, looking her over and figuring there was nothing threatening about her. The girl pouted and held up a Poké Ball. It was then they noticed her wearing her Poké Gear around her neck.

"I'm Crystal Summers, one of the top sixteen trainers from Johto! And you're not going to find Silver!" she told them, "Silver is my..." She paused and turned red. "Brother. He runs off and gets himself killed, that's his problem. But I don't want any outsiders thinking that they can just barge in and drag him into another stupid battle against some stupid team!"

"Is that a _threat_?" Seth asked smoothly, stepping in front of the group and bringing forward the twins' Poké Balls. Crystal blinked and stepped back, eyeing him carefully with a slight blush. "I take all threats very seriously. Why don't we have a battle and see if one of the top sixteen has the bite to back up her bark?"

"Fine! And when you lose, you get lost! The top sixteen will get rid of Team Samba on our own _without_ outside help!" she shouted as intimidatingly as she could. "At least, those guys." she muttered in a low voice, blush growing deeper, "You're welcome to stick around if you like."

"I heard that!" Rui yelled angrily, "Show her who she's messing with, Seth! Back off, girlie! He's mine!" May glanced at her and smiled, wrapping one arm around Brendan while watching the battle unfold.

"She your girlfriend or something?" Crystal asked coolly as the trainer and Snagger faced off. Seth raised an eyebrow and looked towards Rui, who was jumping and cheering for him.

"You could say that." he replied and tossed forward the twins, "Jupiter! Pluto!" Crystal yelled angrily and waved her fist at him.

"You can't do that! League rules of Johto! Only ONE Pokémon on the field at a time! Who the heck do you think you are?" she shrieked.

"Is a top sixteen trainer afraid to put her Pokémon to the test? Or does she fear that her skills to control two at once are inferior to those of a Hoenn trainer, more so than an Orre trainer?" Seth purred as the Espeon and Umbreon stood ready, calmly waiting for their challengers. Crystal ground her teeth and pulled out a second Poké Ball.

"Think you're so tough, huh? Think I can't cut it 'cause I'm a girl, don't you? Well, I'll show you!" she growled and threw the two balls forward, "Let's go, Pikachu and Flareon!" A small, yellow mouse with pointed ears and a lightning bolt-shaped tail appeared on the field alongside a creature that looked similar to Jupiter with short red body fur and luxuriously puffy yellow hair around its neck and on its head. The tail was also puffy and the Pokémon shook itself off, watching the challengers warily. "Okay! Thunderbolt and Fire Spin!" she ordered.

"Pluto, Confuse Ray Pikachu. Jupiter, follow up with Swift." Seth murmured, watching the Eons leap forward to obey. The Pikachu charged up and looked between the two Pokémon that dashed at it and the Flareon, unsure of which one to unleash the attack on. The Umbreon stopped in front of it, eyes glowing.

_"Maybe I should attack this one?"_ it squeaked.

_"Maybe you should think faster next time, little mouse."_ Pluto chuckled and flashed the confusing ray of light at the creature. _"Jupiter! Your turn!"_

_"The Pikachu's gonna zap! Let me get myself in front of the Flareon!"_

_"Why?"_

_"Confused Pokémon are the best at getting rid of themselves. Watch this!"_ the Espeon declared as he fired the starry attack at the Flareon before it could open its mouth for a Fire Spin, then made sure a few stars hit the Pikachu. It spun and unleashed the held in Thunderbolt attack. Jupiter dashed aside and laughed as the electricity hit the Flareon. It squealed in surprise and sat down in shock, too numb from the attack to listen to anything else.

Seth snickered at the conversation that had gone on and shrugged as the twins turned to nip and Bite the Pikachu until it finally cried out and flopped onto its belly, holding up a tiny makeshift white flag. Crystal stomped her foot down onto the ground.

"Not fair! This wouldn't have happened if you were battling under League rules!" she yelled and called back the Pokémon, "I don't care if you won! You'd better get out of here! All of you!"

"Sounds like a prissy trainer wants to oust someone." Brendan muttered, "Prof. Elm? Is Silver the Johto Champion?"

"Yes, that's right. Silver Summers is the Johto League Champion and was last seen in Azalea Town battling Team Samba. Which reminds me... Crystal, why are you here?" the professor asked in confusion. The trainer pouted and glared at Seth, who was pulling out Poké Blocks and feeding them to the Eons, popping one into his mouth after they had their treats.

"I heard from Silver that you had called in for outside help. So I'm here to tell you that we don't need it! So whichever one of you is that expert on getting rid of teams had better buzz off! I can take on Team Samba alone!" Crystal declared.

"I suppose you can spot and defeat Shadow Pokémon, too?" Rui shot at her, "'Cause that's what's being used here! Shadow Pokémon are more powerful than normal Pokémon and I'm the only one who can see them! Seth's the only one who can snag them and purify them, too!"

"That so?" Crystal asked, hands on her hips. "Well, so what? Let's see Mr. Creepy Eyes over there handle the Johto League! With **one** Pokémon at a time! Then when he's got eight badges, I'll **think** about letting him interfere with Johto business!"

"I think we should check out Azalea Town first for clues as to what happened to Silver." May remarked. Rui lifted the Poké Gear and studied it. "Or we could find the Radio Tower and see what Cipher is up to with it."

"I say we do the Radio Tower first." Seth remarked, walking up to the group with the Eons beside him, "Once we know what Cipher is planning to do with it and snag the Shadow Pokémon there, we can move on to Kanto."

"You think Miror B. could be there?" Rui asked.

"Why not? It's the biggest source of music around, right?" Seth added and looked down at the watch-like device's screen. "So where is it?" Rui fiddled with the device and brought up the map, flicking through the selections. "Goldenrod City. Doesn't look too far from here. Anything other than flying there would be a good mode of transportation."

"We have bicycles if you like. They're in the back of the center." Prof. Elm pointed out. "The Gyms are fighting back as best they can but if you can root out the boss, maybe the rest of Team Samba will stop their attacks."

"You're gonna regret this!" Crystal snapped once she realized the group was ignoring her. She stormed away, muttering under her breath.

"Right, whatever. Goldenrod City, right? Okay! Let's go!" Brendan remarked brightly, walking towards the bikes. "Let's do this! Maybe we'll catch some cool new Pokémon along the way, right, May?"

"Yeah! Goldenrod, here we come!" the trainer cheered as Rui and Seth followed along, studying the Poké Gear carefully.

* * *

Ein tapped a few keys and smiled as the signals finished recording to the disc. Ejecting it, he spun to look up at Miror B., the two of them in a secured hideout built in Johto. The Team Samba leader was still dancing to the music playing from a Poké Gear strapped to his wrist.

"Will you stop that? It gets to be very annoying." Ein grumbled and picked up the CD. "Now, you know what you're supposed to do, right?"

"Sure, sure! Play the CD over all radio stations once we get into the tower!" Miror B. rattled off and did a spin, "Don't know why that should matter, though. Don't you have Fein ready to deal with that annoying little darling of a Snagger?"

"Of course he does!" Fein exclaimed brightly from his seat nearby, feet propped up on a table. The Cipher agent, upon first look, could easily be mistaken for Seth. His disguise was perfect, every aspect of him down to the white strip of zinc oxide across his face was duplicated from images of Seth provided by Cipher's photographers. "I'm heading the attack on Azalea again to draw out the Champion. I heard he beat off the Samba grunts and started making his way towards Ecruteak City, so I'd better pull him back to his hometown again."

"Yes, while Fein makes sure that Johto's champion trainer thinks that Seth is a threat and helps us keep him from interfering too much, you will play that CD continuously through the Goldenrod Radio Tower." Ein remarked, "The audio signals will put Seth out of commission long enough for us to find and detain him."

"And then I shall stomp him flat with my elegant dance steps?" Miror B. asked eagerly, red and white afro bobbing to the music.

"No. Then I will get my information back and I can inject him with _this_!" the scientist answered happily, holding up a syringe filled with a glowing green liquid. "Don't bother asking what it is, neither of you would understand me, but this will help us achieve our ends!"

"All right. So we know what to do. My Shadow Pokémon will complete the illusion for the Johto League Champ. Once I've got him dealt with, I'll join with Miror B. and look for the indisposed Snagger. With him out of the way, the girl will be easy prey and Johto will fall as soon as the gyms are conquered." Fein summed up and pulled his visor down over his eyes, made golden through color contacts made especially for him. He rested his arms behind his head, hair dyed a silver-gray color and styled in Seth's spiky fashion. "I have to admit, it's kinda fun playing Snagger. I've ruined his rep once before, shouldn't be too hard to do it again!" he added with a laugh.

"I only have this to add to Miss Evice's orders. Don't do anything to injure him. At all! I must have him back in working order, no blows to the head! And Sera would most certainly have you two strung by the nuts if she so much as _thinks_ you've harmed him in any way!" Ein added sternly, "I have an inkling as to what she wants with him and as bloody repulsing as it may be, I'd rather he go through that in one piece than to keep him from her and find he's too badly damaged to put to use. Not when we're so close to activating the Earth Seal stationed at Indigo Plateau! Are you listening, Fein?"

"Hey, no problem! I've got a score to settle with the guy, but I can hold back on what I do. It's not like I'm gonna shove him off a cliff or anything." Fein replied with a casual spread of his hands, a grin forming on his face, "And please! For the sake of my disguise, perfect as it is, call me Seth as well. Helps to confuse people and confused people are easier to fool than idiots. They tend to not ask questions to avoid looking like one."

"This is all peachy keen, but I really must hurry on my way and tend to my musical masterpieces! So, let's see that CD and let the music play!" Miror B. declared and took the disc, dancing his way out of the hideout to the helicopter waiting to take him to Goldenrod City. Fein shrugged and got up, picking up the two Poké Balls on the table.

"Do be careful with those Shadow Pokémon, uh, 'Seth'." Ein added almost pleadingly, "It was terribly difficult to find and raise those, and as twins as well! Don't lose them to Seth under any circumstances! Miss Evice wants them added to her personal collection."

"Ah, they'll be _fine_!" the false Snagger remarked with a smile, "Come on! One look at these beauties and Seth won't be able to think straight enough to attack, _if_ he makes it through whatever it was you put on that CD for him!" He walked out of the hideout, pocketing the balls. "Anyways, they know Attract. It's not like anything he can dish out will ever make contact!"

"I suppose. But do try, nonetheless." Ein sighed, drumming his fingers on the table, "We only have three Shadow Pokémon left and they're all in Kanto..."

* * *

Ho-Oh rested on the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City, looking over at the two legendary Pokémon that had followed him once they learned of what was happening. Latios, a cool blue and white Dragon-Psychic Pokémon, sat beside the bird, gazing out at the region. His sister, the Latias now called HeartSong, was with the girl called May. He had seen the two together and trusted May to take care of his sister. Latias seemed to be well-loved and cared for. She couldn't have done better than that human for a master and trainer.

Dozing on Latios's back was a tiny yellow and white Pokémon, a Steel-Psychic type with a star shaped head, blue ribbons coming off of the three points of its head, and long yellow ribbons for wings. It rubbed an eye and yawned, stretching its tiny figure before sitting up and scratching at its head.

_"Are we there yet?"_ it asked sleepily.

_"Yes, Jirachi. This is Johto. This is where I told you and Latios that the Raykyoudon would be."_ Ho-Oh replied, _"He brought along Raikou, Entei, and Suicune so they're covered. Celebi is on her way here now that I've thought of telling her about this later. I've always disliked the methods one needs to take to talk to her. Latios, your sister is also here. With Groudon and Kyogre also in their midst, it's only a short time before we can gather the others and guide Raykyoudon to his path."_

_"Raykyoudon, hmmph. Why call him by a name that a stupid Tentacruel came up with?"_ Latios grumbled, _"A legendary finds his own name."_

_"Well, maybe that's how he found it."_ Jirachi remarked, floating up to sit on Latios's head and looking down at the town. _"I'm just sad that we couldn't save Rayquaza. Why did the bad guys take him away? How? I bet it was that silly purple ball again! How many of those things are out there, anyway?"_

_"Too many in my way of thinking."_ Latios grumbled, _"I know for a fact that the boy with Latias's trainer has one with my name on it. I'm waiting to see what lengths he'll go to in order to find me. So far, he's looking good. I might tease him a little later on."_

A burst of green light appeared before them as Latios finished speaking and Celebi flew into view, giggling.

_"Bi bi bi!"_ she cried and spun before the group of legendaries. _"Never fear! I is here! So, what brings the legendaries of Hoenn to Johto? Don't tell me. You're looking for Seth because Cipher's going to use his power in the Earth Seal to destroy the world while they're trying to conquer it by having him destroy us with it and you all want to gather our power to stop him and show him what he really is."_

_"I hate it when she does that."_ Ho-Oh grumbled.

_"How do you know all that?"_ Latios griped, _"How did you learn Raykyoudon's human name and the name of that evil group of humans?"_ Celebi giggled, her tiny hands pressed to her mouth as her deep blue eyes glowed with mirth.

_"I know it not only because I traveled in time to peek at what may happen, but also because I've met him before!"_ she revealed, _"Even before I resurrected him in my forest in Orre, I met Seth as a young boy in Johto. This is where he snagged the legendary dogs. I watched him do it and knew that he would one day come back here and set them free again."_

_"And you think that this is the time he'll do it?"_ Latios asked, feathery eyebrow raised. Celebi nodded emphatically.

_"That's nice. Wake me when we get to Kanto."_ Jirachi mumbled and slid down Latios's neck onto his back again.

_"I'll go and get Lugia to join us. We'll head to Kanto then and find the last of the legendaries there."_ Ho-Oh remarked and took off towards the Whirl Islands, _"You go on ahead to Mt. Silver! Wait for us there!"_

_"We're going to Kanto? Yay! I can't wait to see Mew again! She owes me a pixie stick!"_ Celebi declared.

_"For what?"_ Latios asked in confusion.

_"I told her she was going to find a clone of herself as a guy legendary and she said no way, so I said 'I bet you a pixie stick I'm right!' and she said, 'You're on!' and then she found this one guy who chased Mewtwo out of this cave in Kanto and they ran into each other and now they live together on Cinnabar Island trying to re-teach him not to go around and blow up cities with his psychic powers."_ the Grass-Psychic babbled.

_"Dude, see what you did?" _Jirachi grumbled, _"Now I can't sleep."_

_"Good. 'Cause you are officially evicted from my back!"_ Latios declared, taking off for Mt. Silver. Jirachi tumbled away and regained his bearings, zipping after the dragon with Celebi. _"Now let's go! Before she remembers something else to babble about!"_


	2. Growing Hot Under the Collar, Seth?

Ch 2

Four bicycles raced through the forests and past lakes and rivers, dead set on heading straight for Goldenrod. Brendan grumbled over the fact that they weren't taking the main roads; Seth had insisted that they go 'as the Murkrow flies' to make better time.

"Okay! That's it! Everybody, stop!" he finally shouted, hitting the brakes on his Acro Bike. The others skidded to halts around him, confused. "We've been biking for three hours! We're lost and it's all _your_ fault! You and your stupid ideas of shortcuts!" he went on, shaking his fist at Seth. The Snagger glared at him as he swung off the borrowed bike. "I'm not budging until we map out a decent route to Goldenrod City and we get contact with this Silver guy!"

"Don't yell at him like that! It's this kind of travel that got us to Petalburg in time to help save May and the gym in Hoenn!" Rui declared angrily. "You're just being a jerk!"

"Can we all calm down a bit here?" May interrupted, jumping off of her own bike, "Let's take a break, get something to eat, maybe figure out what our strategy should be... what do you say?"

"I have to deal with Blaziken and Gardevoir anyway. Might as well." Seth muttered, pulling forth the two Poké Balls that contained the Shadow Pokémon. He tossed them forward and watched them emerge in brilliant flashes of light. The Blaziken looked around warily, then looked back at him, unsure of what it was expected to do. The Gardevoir did the same, testing its new master by trying to lash at him. Seth raised an arm to block the attack and shook his head. "No. That's wrong. You don't attack people." he told it firmly as Rui and May began to gather firewood to build a small campfire and cook up lunch.

"What are you doing now? Those two are nutcase Pokémon!" Brendan griped, "What can you possibly do to them to get them sane again?" Seth ignored him, removing the Snag Machine, his jacket and gloves, then digging into his pack for a long, slender bottle with a Poké Ball shaped top.

"Okay now. You sit here." he remarked to the Gardevoir, leading it to a fallen log. It sat put and looked confused, watching him carefully for strange movements. "You sit here, Blaziken." the Snagger went on, pointing at a spot next to the psychic-type. The bird blinked and cocked its head, then followed the order to sit down on the log. "Okay, let's get this started." Seth said with a grin, popping open the bottle and pouring out a small amount of a deep blue liquid onto his open palm. He set the bottle down and dripped the liquid onto the Gardevoir's shoulders, then began massaging it. The Pokémon tried to jump in surprise, then blinked and relaxed, smiling and cooing in pleasure. The Blaziken watched and leaned forward, sniffing at the Pokémon. It squawked at Seth, looking somewhat jealous.

"Hang on. You're next after I'm done with this one." Seth told it, still grinning as the Gardevoir continued cooing, hands folded neatly in its lap. Brendan scratched his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked, still confused.

"Pokémon massage. One of the ways I purify Shadow Pokémon, if you must know. I'm using the most expensive scent available, but it works the best." the Snagger replied, pouring on more of the cologne and continuing the massage. Rui sat back and smiled, watching him working in only the black sleeveless turtleneck he liked. "Rui, how am I doing?"

"The aura is going down, but you still have a way to go before it's ready to be purified. The massages look like the best way for it so far." she replied, "May's making a stew for lunch, I hope you're hungry!" Seth looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, bad joke. Sorry!" she laughed and hopped to her feet, picking up her bag. "I'm gonna go find a river and wash up. See you in a bit!"

"Okay! Okay!" Seth cried as the Blaziken squawked louder and ruffled the feathers around its neck, "You're next! You're a hasty one, aren't you?" He switched to massage it, pouring the last of the cologne on it and setting to work. The Fire-Fighting Pokémon clacked its beak happily as the Gardevoir sniffed at its arm and cooed, batting its eyes at Seth. "Don't look at me like that. You're a cute Pokémon, but I already have a girlfriend." He pulled out a Poké Block and tossed it towards the psychic-type. "Here, it's sweet."

"I thought you've never been to Hoenn. How'd you get a Poké Block case and candy?" Brendan asked, bringing out a Mudkip to keep an eye on the campfire. Seth finished the massage and stepped back, wiping down his hands on a small towel.

"You ask a lot of questions. Do you have a problem with me or something?" he shot back icily. The trainer sniffed and sat back against the log.

"You think you're so hot, don't you, Hero of Orre? Took out an entire team and organization by yourself, now you're a hotshot hero. Saved all of these 'Shadow Pokémon' and became a saint to them." he sneered, "Granted all kinds of powers like talking to them and using their moves. What do you want from the rest of the world after this adventure? A freakin' medal?"

"I didn't do it to gain attention, if that's what you're thinking!" Seth snapped back. The two Pokémon looked over at him, surprised. "I didn't risk my life like that to get publicity or fame or any of that crap! I'm not a trainer! I'm not some Colosseum or League Champion, I'm not even a stupid, lousy scientist!" Rui walked in, hair still wet, and blinked in surprise at what was happening. "I did it for redemption! I did it to save my friends, Jupiter and Pluto!" Seth looked lost, spreading his hands out before him, "I did it because I wanted to make up for all the evil I did when Cipher had me under their control. I'm a Snagger, I was a member of Team Snagem, the team that stole Pokémon from honest trainers and turned them into this." He waved towards the Gardevoir and Blaziken still watching the argument. "Into shadows of their former selves. I was just like them for all my life." Seth released the Eons and knelt to pet them. "Until I stole the eggs that hatched and gave me these guys. If it weren't for Jupiter and Pluto, I'd still be stealing Pokémon, stealing money and TMs, and probably being used in whatever Cipher is planning now to conquer the world."

"I knew it! You _were_ one of the bad guys!" May jumped up and declared in triumph, "That explains the Snag Machine and why Team Snagem was gunning for you that whole time!"

"So the great hero is nothing but a back-stabbing traitor to the team that caused this whole mess." Brendan chuckled and shook his head. "That's just great. We're here in Johto because of a lunatic grunt who thinks he's a Pokémon." Seth stood and stiffened, glaring at the trainer.

"Seth? Why did you tell them who you are?" Rui asked softly. She looked confused and held her pack tighter to her, "What's going on?"

_"Seth? Are you okay? What's happening? You're burning up!"_ Jupiter whimpered, stepping back from him in fright. The Snagger barely heard the Espeon, his fury at the accusations and jeering churning within him, searching for a release. It found one.

"It's getting really hot now." May suddenly remarked, looking at the fire. "But our campfire is still small. Did that Blaziken use Sunny Day?" Brendan wiped a film of sweat from his forehead and studied it in confusion.

"No way. This feels like Groudon's Drought ability. But I haven't let him out. What's causing this?" he replied and looked up at the sun, which seemed to shine brighter. Rui blinked and looked over at Seth, who was now staring at the ground as if it were some disgusting thing that dirtied his shoes. In a neat circle around him, the grass had withered and died, and the green all around the group was beginning to yellow and wilt from the heat and dryness. Blaziken looked fine with the weather shift but the Gardevoir was withering, gazing up at Seth with a fearful look. Rui ran to him and grabbed his arm, startling him out of his trance-like state and nearly causing him to fall on her.

"There's a river not far from here. Follow the tracks I left." she murmured, pushing the Poké Gear into his hand and pointing him in the river's direction, "Go there and cool off for a while. I think you're causing this weird weather shift."

_"Me?"_ he hissed back, "It's that _idiot_ with the **stupid** hat!" He shot the two trainers another angry look and sighed. "Fine. Watch my things at least. I'll be back in an hour." he amended and stormed away. The Gardevoir watched him leave and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, wiping at its brow and then fainting into the Blaziken's arms. The bird blinked and looked down at the Pokémon in his arms, then grinned hugely at Brendan.

"What now?" the trainer grumbled, bringing out a small battery-operated fan and switching it on, "Get a room!"

* * *

The river wasn't more than a few yards from the campsite, and the weather shift was starting to normalize with the setting of the sun. The Poké Gear rested on a boulder, radio station tuned to Pokémon Music, while Seth tested the limits of his underwater side. Clutching a tree root near the riverbed, he let the water flow past him and waited, holding his breath as long as he could. A Goldeen swam past, paused, then turned back to look at him.

_"What in the name of all that is pure in the sea are you doing?"_ it asked in exasperation, _"You're never going to get kelp like that!"_ Seth shot it an irritated look. _"Well, fine! Be that way! Upstart Pokémon like you never get anywhere in life without a human trainer to set them straight..."_ it grumbled and swam on in a huff.

When it felt like staying down any longer was going to crush him, Seth swam up to the surface and checked the time on the Poké Gear. He was startled at the count. He'd been under for nearly ten minutes! Climbing back onto the land, he sat against the boulder and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to think things through. Groudon's DNA gave him the ability to withstand the desert heat, survive Earthquake attacks, and maybe even cause a hot weather shift for a short time. Kyogre's genetic strands gave him the ability to hold his breath longer underwater, which probably accounted for his lasting time in the lagoon of Ever Grande in Hoenn, and what possibly looked like a Water Pulse attack. The only thing he lacked was DNA that could help him cope with the sky.

"Is that why I'm afraid of heights? I'm not _designed_ to deal with it?" Seth murmured and waved his hand at his ears when he heard an odd buzzing sound. The buzzing then died down and became lost in the music emitted from the radio. He picked up the gear and turned it over in his hands, studying it. It was very strange to him. He was used to his PDA, the silvery gadget in his jacket pocket that would open a half dozen little flaps to display a screen and mini-keyboard that required a stylus to operate. The PokéNAV was another device he found to be very odd and -in his opinion- very useless.

The music was soothing and Seth closed his eyes, leaning more comfortably against the warm boulder as he set his arm down beside him, still holding the gear face up towards him. After a moment, the DJ came on.

_"Hey, all! Are you peachy keen tonight? I hope you are! Never mind all those nasty attacks on your darling Gyms and just listen in to the great CD playing tonight!"_ the announcer cooed. Seth flinched slightly. The voice sounded familiar. _"It's not a track to dance to which, to me, is no track to be heard, but it's a very special song dedicated to a very special little boy out there. I hope you're listening, because this goes out just for yooouuu!"_ He flinched again as the music began to repeat and the buzzing spiked for a moment before being lost among the instrumental flutes and violins.

"Miror... B..." Seth murmured in recognition, too drowsy to do anything else but go limp. "The... music..." The code embedded in the classical piece played into his mind, accessing, writing, programming. It wouldn't let him leave or move until it was done, ordering his body into a sleep-like trance to prevent him from shutting off the Poké Gear.

_"I know I've been playing this 'round the clock, darlings, but it's all for a very good cause. Sweetie, darling, you little chickadee! If that special someone out there has been listening in on this station, and who wouldn't?, then please do come down to the station here in golden Goldenrod City for a wonderful gift!"_ Miror B. purred. Seth opened his eyes halfway, their golden color now dark and dull, and looked down at the gear, slowly getting up.

"Goldenrod City. Report in for further instructions." he murmured and began to walk away towards the city some five miles from the campsite, the device falling from his fingers as he left.

* * *

"I don't know about you but this music is getting on my nerves." Miror B. grumbled as he spun around in his chair. Fein/Seth shrugged as he leaned against the table. Team Samba had stormed into the Radio Tower some four, maybe five hours earlier with the fake Snagger helping to lead the attack, declaring Seth's name as the ultimate thief of Pokémon. His attack afterwards on Azalea Gym was successful, not only had the Gym finally fallen, its Gym Leader named Bugsy sealed away in the Slowpoke Well, but the Johto Champion had also fallen. Upon searching the Champion's pockets for his strongest Pokémon to steal, Fein had discovered his greatest secret. Silver was also hidden away, trapped deeper within the same well.

"Who cares? Long as it works, you shouldn't complain. I should be heading out in another hour to take out the Gym in Ecruteak. Most of the legends around here talk about Ho-Oh being up there. Getting Seth back means getting the legendary dogs of Johto back as well, then the two of us can nab Lugia and Celebi, whenever Ein finishes brainwashing the punk again." he remarked off-handedly and looked outside the window at the entrance to the tower. A car pulled up to the tower and one of the doors opened. Intrigued, Fein stuck his head out the window and listened as well as he could.

"Okay, kid! This is the place! Don't be walking around on the main roads this late; I nearly ran you over!" the driver called out as a dark-clad figure stepped out of the vehicle and walked towards the doors.

"Call me nuts, but I think it worked." Fein remarked with a smile, "I'll go down and see to our little winner. You can go ahead and stop the CD. Now that we have him, we can continue conquering the Gyms."

"I think I'll switch to some nicer music now, instead!" Miror B. laughed, flipping switches and pulling out dance music tracks, "I'm enjoying myself tremendously here!" Fein rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Fine. I'll check up on the Champion, then, and you can keep an eye on the Snagger until Ein shows up for him." he muttered and headed off.


	3. Visiting a Legend

A/N: Yes, this is a continuation of Global Warning, hence the Global Meeting for the title. The third installment will also have 'Global' in the title so you'll know it when you see it.

No, Green will not appear in the series, unless everybody wants to wait until sometime after September of this year to read the end of the story. I can only use characters I have had experience with, and since I don't have any form of Fire Red and Leaf Green (not even a ROM of it) I can't use Green in the story. However, I managed to get a few pics of Deoxys and it will be mentioned later in the story, but no characters from those series of games will appear. If you really want Green here, then maybe you can import a copy of the game and mail it to me for play-through?

Until then, enjoy the story as it is and keep an eye out for Crystal, she's not done with Seth yet, you know...

* * *

Ch 3

Rui looked into her empty bowl, a worried expression on her face. Jupiter and Pluto sat at her feet, food untouched as they whimpered softly. The Blaziken and Gardevoir relaxed where they sat, stuffed from eating stew and Pokémon food. May and Brendan looked at each other, then at Rui.

"Is something the matter? If it's Brendan making those rude comments earlier, then I'm very sorry for it. He's a little thick in the head." May finally said, shooting him a frustrated look.

"Am not! I just can't stand his attitude about all this. Thinks he's so freakin' cool 'cause he does stuff that's considered illegal everywhere else in the world." the boy trainer grumbled.

"That's part of it, but no. I'm worried because he hasn't come back yet. It's been way past an hour and he never misses a meal." Rui replied softly, "What if he decided to just leave us here?" She shook her head. "No way, because he would definitely come back for Pluto and Jupiter. They're his closest friends and his main team in battling."

"I'll go and look for him then. Be right back!" May said brightly and jumped up, running into the woods. Rui watched her leave and cocked her head. Somehow, knowing that May was running off so eagerly to find her partner wasn't as comforting as she thought it would be.

Some few minutes later, May came running back, the Poké Gear in her grip.

"He's not there! He's nowhere!" she cried and held out the device, "I found this on the ground but Seth's gone!" Rui jumped up and cried in shock, taking the gear into her hands. "Brendan! Pack up and put out the fire! We have to find him!"

"Why is it on the radio? What is that buzzing in the music?" Rui asked in confusion as the trainers scrambled to get themselves together. The announcer came back again with the message for the special someone to come in for their prize and she yelped. "That's Miror B.! He's at the Radio Tower?" The Eons lifted their heads and growled at the device. "My PDA! I'll check to see where he is, but I bet I already know what happened!"

"Your what?" Brendan asked as the Mudkip shot a burst of water at the campfire to put it out.

"Pokémon Digital Assistant, and I have it set to track down Seth. He's wearing a tracking chip that puts him through the Kids Grid GPS Network and sends me a signal telling me where he is." Rui explained briefly as she opened her PDA and switched functions. The dot representing the chip lit up on the screen and she compared it to the map in the Poké Gear. "He's in Goldenrod, or close to it. He's moving fast, can't be on foot. He should be there in another few minutes." she reported and picked up the Poké Balls, calling back all of Seth's Pokémon, then pulling on his jacket and Snag Machine. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go!"

"What about his bike?" May asked as they jumped onto their own.

"Leave it! We don't have much time!" Brendan yelled, already racing off, "If what the bonehead was saying is true, then we can't afford to let Cipher get him back! And I, for one, don't want him snagging all the Pokémon in my party just 'cause he can!"

* * *

The group of heroes reached Goldenrod City late that night, and made their way to the Radio Tower. It wasn't as easy as they thought it would be, with Samba grunts dressed in golden jumpsuits and red and white helmets blocking the doors and elevators. With Rui seeking out Shadow Pokémon during the battles, May and Brendan began to work on clearing out the building, using everything from their own starting Pokémon, a sane Blaziken and a Sceptile, to the legendaries Groudon and Latias.

"Nothing. There's no Shadow Pokémon among them." Rui sighed and looked around, "And Seth isn't in any of these rooms."

"Thanks for saving us!" the Director of the Radio Tower gushed to May and Brendan, "We'll go and contact the police right away to deal with Team Samba, but watch out for that Seth character, he's the one who spearheaded this outrageous attack and is probably still lurking around here!"

"I knew it! He's gone and backstabbed _us!_" Brendan yelled angrily, "We can't trust him to do anything! Redemption, my butt, he was using us to get to the strongest Pokémon around so he can steal them all!"

"That's not true!" Rui yelled back. "When did this attack happen, Mr. Director?"

"At about noon today, most of us were at lunch when the Tower was invaded by that awful man and his Team Samba backers." the older man replied with a red face, "I'll personally press charges against him for this act!"

"See? It couldn't have been Seth! He was with us in the forest at that time!" Rui replied, "It has to be that one Cipher agent! He's done this before, in Orre, and Seth's reputation was totally trashed! He nearly abandoned me for good that time and all because of **him**!"

"Him who?" May asked.

"Fein!" Rui hissed, gripping her hands into fists, the Snag Machine looking just as intimidating on her as it did on Seth.

* * *

Miror B. danced happily to the tracks of dance music playing constantly over the stations. Seth, now somewhat drier than earlier, sat quietly in a the chair that the Admin had been spinning in earlier, slumped back against it and both hands tied tightly together.

"Oh yeah! I love this one! Play it again? Don't mind if I do!" the Admin laughed brightly. He punched the button to repeat the track and looked back at the prisoner. "Well, in another couple of hours Ein will show up to take you back to the hideout. Then you'll be a Cipher agent again, wouldn't that be nice, hmm?" Seth didn't answer, too lost to the program running in him that kept him complaisant and silent.

The door suddenly barged open and May and Brendan ran in, Poké Balls already in their hands for battle. Rui jumped in after them and scanned the room quickly. She cried and pointed at her partner.

"There! He's over there! And there's Miror B.!" she exclaimed. Brendan blinked at the Admin and snorted, trying to hold back his laughter.

"What happened to his head? It looks like a giant Poké Ball attacked him!" he declared. Miror B. frowned and put his arms akimbo, tapping his foot to the music.

"How rude, little boy! My afro is gorgeously gorgeous! Much better than that cowlick that takes up your whole head! Where are my Samba lackeys? They should have stopped you brats in your tracks!" he shot back, then looked back at the Snagger sitting put where he had been ordered to stay. "Oh, never mind. I have something better than stupid Johto trainers for grunts. Seth, darling, come over here now!" Seth got up and walked over to stand before the Admin who then placed his hands on his shoulders, grinning at the group. "You can't do anything to me now! Not as long as I've got your little Snagger on my side!" he taunted, "Seth! I order you to take your Pokémon and keep these little buggers away from me until Ein arrives to save the day!"

"Unable to comply." Seth murmured almost quietly. The group stared at him. "I am unable to battle. Rui Roane has all of my Pokémon in the jacket she is wearing." Rui blinked and dug into the pockets, pulling out the six balls that composed Seth's entire party.

"Oh dear. Well, then, we're in a sticky situation now, aren't we?" Miror B. remarked in a bright voice, looking visibly paler than before and not as confident, "You still can't attack me anyway! Not as long as I have this little sweetie!" He gave Seth a shake and backed towards the elevators, pulling him along before him. Rui pulled out her PDA and started typing furiously as Brendan and May followed Miror B., watching him carefully for any sudden movements.

"Come on, Nett, you've been searching those files for days now...!" Rui whispered fiercely. The device beeped almost immediately after she finished muttering and she opened the resulting response e-mail. "Ah! Nett, you're a genius!" she smiled and looked up at the retreating Admin. "Project: WSLY! Ein code Gamma 649! You're seven floors off the ground!"

Seth shrieked in what sounded like fear and dove away from the Cipher Admin, curling up in a ball on the floor with his arms covering his head. Miror B. stared in surprise at him, then yelped when he found himself surrounded by legendaries, the Groudon eyeing him as if he were dinner, the Latias growling as fiercely as she could.

"No, no, no! This can't be right! You're ruining everything!" the Admin wailed, positive that nothing in his party of five could stand against the legendaries. "I was having fun and you horrid children came and ruined it all!"

"You're the one who wrecked it by putting together a team as stupid as Team Samba!" May declared as Rui ran to Seth and started murmuring into his ear. The Snagger uncurled and looked around dazedly. "When are those cops showing up? It's getting really hot in here..."

"Where am I? What's going on? Why do I have this weird urge to dance to samba music?" Seth grumbled and tried to rub his head, finally noticing his hands bound. "What the hell? Rui! What's going on here?" he added in an angry yell.

Several officers poured into the room and halted at the sight of the legendaries. The trainers sighed and pulled them back to allow them the opportunity to rush in and arrest Miror B., and giving the air conditioning system time to fix the temperature. Rui set to work untying Seth as she explained what she thought had happened.

"Miror B. had this weird music playing that had a buzzing sound in it. Nett said it must be some audio computer code that messed with you, so he sent me a command that Ein would use on you to scare you. He thought that fear would make the code stop running in your head and it worked!" she remarked brightly, "By the way, he found out some more about the files in Hoenn, but I forgot to tell you. Cipher is trying to activate something called Earth Seal, but it needs you to work right. So if we can wreck it before it gets you, we win!" Seth rubbed at his wrists and sat back, watching Miror B. get led away in cuffs. "It took some talking but we convinced the Director of this place to not get you arrested too."

"Me? Why get me arrested? I'm here to help them get their Gyms back!" the Snagger exclaimed incredulously. Rui looked evasive, a first for him.

"It's Fein. He's going around posing as you again and helped take over the Radio Tower earlier today." she replied carefully. He jumped to his feet and raged, startling the two trainers that stood by the door.

"Dude! Chill! We'll catch up to the faker, we just have to figure out where he is." Brendan remarked while Rui sifted through the papers on the DJ's desk. One caught her eye and she lifted it up, reading aloud to the group.

"'News bulletin: This just in! At three this afternoon, Team Samba made a second raid against Bugsy's Azalea Gym in Azalea Town. Azalea is well known for being the hometown to the Johto League Champion, Silver Summers, and his sister, Crystal, one of the top sixteen trainers at the league.'" she announced, "'Led by the notorious Team Snagem Snagger, Seth, the Gym finally fell under their control, and, worse still, the Johto Champion was finally defeated by the combined power of Seth's Umbreon and Espeon. No information is available on where exactly the Gym Leader and Silver are being held captive.'"

"He's **dead**! He is _so_ **dead** when I get my hands on him!" Seth shrieked in a fury. Rui set the paper down and shrugged off the Snag Machine and jacket, handing both to him. Seth dressed quickly, still snarling under his breath at the master of disguise ruining him yet again.

"We passed by Azalea on our way here, so we should head back through the Ilex Forest to the town. It's not very far if we go by the main road." Rui remarked as she checked the map on the Poké Gear.

"We need to make a stop at the Poké Center first. Grab a few new supplies and equipment, too." May pointed out, "After seeing how Seth battles with Jupiter and Pluto, I'm not going to take my chances against a copy of him with the same Pokémon!" The group nodded grimly and headed for the elevator, knowing full well that they still had a long ways to go to stop Cipher.

* * *

Resting again before the entrance to Mt. Silver, Latios and the two smaller legendaries waited patiently for Ho-Oh to arrive with Lugia. Jirachi had reclaimed his spot on the dragon's back for a bed and now dozed in a curled up ball in the center. Celebi took to yanking berries from nearby trees to gobble up, giggling after each one she munched.

_"Will you stop that? It's getting to be annoying!"_ Latios growled at her.

"You took the words out of my mouth." a new voice remarked flatly and the group looked down in surprise at the figure standing before them, arms folded over his chest and a Pikachu sitting on his shoulder. "Oh, relax. I'm not going to capture you, if that's what you're afraid of. I'm curious as to what you are all doing standing outside my home and training ground. Does it have anything to do with Team Samba wrecking Johto?" the man went on, looking up at them with deep brown eyes.

_"You actually understood me?"_ the Latios exclaimed.

"Yes. I'm the Chosen One; it's part of the job description. Now, are you here about the Johto problem, or are you just holding a Psychic Convention on my front doorstep?" the trainer asked again. The Celebi smiled brightly and flew down to him with a berry in her hands.

_"Hi, Ash! It's been a while since Mew told me about what you've been up to! Finally decided what to name your kids yet?"_ she asked cheerily. The trainer winced and sighed.

"I've told you already several times, both past and future. Don't call me that anymore. I'm Red now, okay? The name 'Ash' got me into a boatload of trouble as a kid that I have no interest in reclaiming anytime soon." he lectured and scratched the Pikachu on the head, "As for the names, I'm still thinking. A bit hard to do that when they don't exist yet."

_"Since you're interested, yes, we're here waiting for Lugia and Ho-Oh so we can go to Kanto and gather the rest of the legendaries from there. We have to guide Raykyoudon to his proper path as a new legendary Pokémon."_ Latios replied.

"Ah, really? I've finished restocking my supplies, so I'll be on my way to do something about this mess as well." Red remarked lightly and straightened his blue and white vest.

_"Right, if you run into Raykyoudon, let him know that his time is coming soon."_ Latios told him gravely. Celebi smacked her forehead and cried aloud. _"Oh, what is it now, you time-flitting troublemaker?"_

_"I totally forgot about that part! His time **is** coming, but in more ways than one! If he's not careful about what he's doing, he'll end up dooming himself!"_ she wailed, _"And I'm not going to be able to restore him if he does what he has the ability to do!"_

_"Well, why not?"_ Latios snapped in frustrated confusion.

_"Because he'll go back to the beginning! And in the beginning, he was nothing!"_ Celebi whimpered. Red looked between the fearful Celebi and the shocked Latios and pulled out a Poké Ball.

"Well, you can hang around and gawk if you like, but I have a Champion to meet up with in Azalea Town. See ya!" he remarked and released his Charizard. He climbed onto its back, tipped his hat to the Pokémon and flew off towards the distance to join the battle once more.


	4. Ambush!

Ch 4

It was Brendan's turn to laugh as Seth angrily plunked down several bills onto the shop counter, stuck with buying a new bike after learning the one he had been using was left in the forest the night before. Rui sighed as she watched what she had considered her 'when she gets mad at Seth, he buys her a present' money vanish into the register.

"How is it that you can carry around your own bikes, but you can't take mine?" he snapped at the trainer.

"You were the one who grabbed the pre-capsule model. Those can't be shrunk to portable sizes." Brendan pointed out with a grin. Seth merely glared at him, then took the new bike out of the shop. Rui ran on ahead to find May as the two young men walked out side by side. "Well, look on the bright side, Seth man. At least you ain't broke!" he remarked brightly and suddenly saw bright stars, clouds, and trees as he landed on the ground. Seth walked on, a bit more cheerful as he flexed his hand and cracked a knuckle.

"No, but I think your head is." he mouthed to no one as he headed towards the Poké Mart.

* * *

Within a few minutes, the group was biking their way towards the forest, careful to keep the radio off in case the CD was found at the Radio Tower and played again by mistake. May glanced over at Brendan's bandaged chin several times, still curious as to what had happened.

"I tripped and fell on a Sandshrew." the trainer had grumbled but she didn't believe him.

The forest itself was cooler and darker than the one that they had cut through some few hours ago. As they sped through, making good time, a pair of eyes gauged their speed and distance. Moments later, a rock flew out of the darkness, hitting the target dead on. Rui screamed in pain and swerved, falling from her bike as rivers of crimson ran down her temple. Seth forced his bike to fall, then stumbled after her, throwing out the twins as he raced to her side.

"What was _that_? What happened?" May cried, coming to a halt with Brendan beside her. A figure stepped forward from the shadows, tossing a second rock up and down in one hand as Jupiter and Pluto growled angrily at it. Seth hugged Rui tightly, pressing a hand over the injury and glaring up at the attacker.

"I told you you'd regret not leaving, Mr. Creepy Eyes." Crystal remarked icily, a twisted smile on her face. "Poor baby, did I leave a nasty scar on your pretty girlfriend?"

"You..." the Snagger hissed and pulled away from Rui to dig for bandages in his pack, "Hang on, Rui. Don't cry. I'll get her back."

"That's what you think!" Crystal declared and glared pointedly at May and Brendan as they pulled forth their own Poké Balls, "You stay out of this! He's knocked out my Pikachu and Flareon, and that makes him Johto business! And I always finish up my Johto business!"

"You hold too many grudges, lady. First against your brother, then against the outside world, now against the one guy that can keep your Pokémon sane and yours!" May snapped, getting off of her bike and stepping in front of Seth, "Well, now you're Hoenn business and I tie up Hoenn business _real_ fast."

Crystal looked at her as if she were nothing, shaking her head and chuckling. May ground her teeth and kept her ball out before her. Seth finished bandaging Rui's head and studied her eyes carefully, wiping away her tears.

"Can you see me? Focus, Rui. Tell me what you see." he told her firmly. She sniffled softly and gave him a dazed look, staring as if she could see through him. "Rui? Rui!"

"Your strip. It's not on your face." the girl finally murmured, bringing her eyes to focus on him. A relieved expression flashed across his face and he hugged her again, surprising the redhead.

"Thanks for telling me. Thanks for staying with me." he replied softly. Rui reached up and winced as she felt the bandage winding tightly around her head.

"What makes you think you can take me on? Weren't you paying attention back in New Bark Town?" Crystal snapped, "I'm number one among the top sixteen trainers of Johto!" May smiled and tossed the ball in her hand the way she had been tossing her rock.

"The fact that I'm the Hoenn League Champion tells me I _know_ I can." she replied, "So stop hassling my friends and let's get this done with. We have a champion to find and gyms to save." Crystal winced and sighed, chucking the rock over her shoulder.

"Fine. But I'm still wrapping up my Johto business." she replied and threw out a Jolteon, "Pin Missile on both Eons!" Seth jerked his head to watch in shock as the storm of needles rained down on the twins, their cries of pain and surprise filling the air. "Bug-type attacks are super effective against both Psychic- and Dark-types! That should teach ya not to mess with me!" Crystal declared haughtily.

"Jupiter! Pluto!" the Snagger cried, torn between staying with Rui, who still sat put in a dazed state, and going to the sides of his Pokémon lying on the floor with a dozen little needles poking through their fur.

_"That's it!"_ May shrieked and hurled out the Latias, "HeartSong! Psychic! Now!" The dragon raged cutely and blew the Jolteon into the forest with the attack. Crystal screeched and ducked as the Pokémon flew over her head. "Get out of here! Look what you've done! You better pray that I don't report you to League officials and get your Trainer's License revoked!" May snapped, waving her fist as the other trainer raced away into the forest. "Run away, you two-bit, half-wit _loser_!" Brendan stood in shock at what had happened, then jumped to help Seth with Rui.

"I'll keep an eye on her, you deal with your Pokémon." he told him and helped Rui stand, "Come on, stand up! We're almost to Azalea, we can get you a doctor then." Seth scrambled to the Eons and looked lost, gazing down at the bleeding puncture wounds. He pulled out a few needles and winced at each cry of pain the twins uttered.

"We have to take them to the center, fast." he announced thickly, swallowing hard as he shrank the bike and stuffed the capsule into his pocket. "They're bleeding too much. Help me!" Stripping off the Snag Machine and jacket, he used the trench-coat to wrap up the Espeon and protect it, then re-adorned the machine. May pulled a blanket from her pack and wrapped the Umbreon loosely.

"Get on HeartSong! We'll fly to Azalea!" she declared, then yelped in surprise as she was surrounded in a blue aura. The Latias's eyes glowed as the trainer was lifted off the ground and placed on her back. "Thanks, HeartSong! Now for the others!"

Brendan collected the other bikes and put them away, then blinked in shock as Seth held Jupiter to him. The Snagger looked half frantic, trying to hide as much emotion as he could but failing at it.

"Take Jupiter with you. I can't stand flying." he told him as Rui was lifted carefully onto the dragon, "I'll meet you in Azalea."

"You're going to _run_ there? Are you nuts?" the trainer cried and yelled as he was also picked up by the psychic aura. May looked down at Seth in confusion.

"Trust me! I've been able to clock a pretty good speed on my own, especially when escaping what few victims of mine had shotguns on hand!" the Snagger called up as the dragon began to lift out of the forest.

"Hurry up!" Brendan yelled finally as HeartSong soared off. Seth watched it leave and began running out of the forest, hoping and wishing that his three closest friends would arrive safely in town and got the help they needed quickly.

* * *

The Latias made a grand entrance at the Pokémon Center, scattering startled trainers everywhere as May and Brendan were lifted from her back by the psychic energy again. They touched the ground and ran into the building.

"Help! We've got two injured Eons!" May cried, running up to the front desk, "They were hit really bad by Pin Missiles and they're bleeding everywhere!" The nurse hit an emergency call button and two pairs of Blisseys raced out of the double doors nearby with gurneys on hand.

"Put them there, I'll get right on it!" the nurse added, leaving an attendant at the counter as she rushed around to them. May and Brendan set the twins down and removed the blanket and coat, stepping back as the group raced off into the emergency room. Brendan held the jacket out and stared at the blood dripping from it onto the floor.

"There, now for Rui!" May went on and ran back outside. Her boyfriend started after her, still holding the jacket away from him as he ran.

* * *

The medical center took Rui in quickly and the trainers found themselves sitting in the waiting room while a friendly nurse picked up the bloody items and took them to be washed and cleaned. They watched people pass them by and waited for something to happen. May kept her eyes on the entrance to the center, hoping that the Snagger would run in at anytime.

"They sure are taking forever." Brendan muttered and got up, "I'm going out to check on his Pokémon. You want anything to eat?" May blinked and looked up at him. "Are you okay? You look kind of pale." he added in concern, lifting her face up by the chin.

"Um, yeah. Just that I've never seen that much blood come out of anything before." she replied with a weak smile, "I guess I'll have a sandwich if you can get one." Brendan kissed her on the forehead and winked at her.

"Got it. The little lady wants a sandwich, she'll get one! Be right back." he remarked brightly and headed for the door.

"What really happened to your chin?" she called after him.

"I tripped over a Geodude!" Brendan yelled back.

"I thought it was a Sandshrew!"

"It was hiding behind the Geodude! _It's complicated!_"

* * *

Brendan jogged out of the Pokémon Center an hour later, on his way to a diner when he ran into a familiar figure.

"Seth? Hey! Good to see you made it!" he cried to the Snagger, "I guess you didn't get lost after all!" Seth blinked at him in confusion, then smiled.

"Me? Get lost? Not in this lifetime. Where are the others?" he asked, walking with him to the diner. Brendan scratched his head and took a deep breath.

"Well, they're at the medical center down the street. Rui's been gone for quite some time. I just got back from checking on your Pokémon. They should be fully healed in another hour." he replied. Seth grinned wider.

"Good, good! I'm glad to hear that!" he replied and pat Brendan on the shoulder in a friendly manner, "Listen, I'm gonna check out a few things to be sure Samba grunts aren't going to jump us before we hit the Gym for a rescue. You keep Rui and the other one... what's her name again?"

"May." Brendan supplied, looking at him strangely.

"Yeah. Keep them out of sight until I contact you again. Things might get a bit dangerous when I do my thing." the Snagger finished and started to walk away, "I have a hunch that Team Samba might try to move in on Goldenrod City again to retake the tower! So get ready to move out there again when I call!"

"What about Silver? We were supposed to find clues about Silver here!" Brendan called out. Seth waved a hand as he kept moving.

"Yeah! Don't worry! I'll deal with her soon enough!" he replied and ended the conversation. Brendan cocked his head, then shrugged and entered the diner. A few moments later, he ran back out, scanning the area for him, but Seth was gone.

"He called Silver a 'her'. Silver's a boy. And he had his jacket on." he murmured and started running back to the medical center, "That wasn't Seth! That was Fein!"

* * *

Crystal stumbled out of the forest and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Azalea Town. Once she restored her team, she would start her search for Samba grunts again. They needed the experience and training to take on the Snagger's group once more and actually win against them this time.

"If they never find Silver, I'll actually have a chance at the championship. And no one will ever have to know that dirty little secret." she murmured as she walked to the center. She froze at the words that were hissed behind her.

"Is that why you wanted me out of Johto?" Seth growled, "And what secret are you hiding?" Crystal whirled around and glared at him, swallowing hard. "If any one of my friends comes out of this stupid ambush of yours dead, I will _personally_ make sure the rest of your life is nothing but a hellish **nightmare**."

"You can't threaten me! I'll call the police!" she shot back. "Don't come near me! Help! Murderer!" Seth grabbed her arm and yanked her beside one of the many shops, hiding both of them in the darkness. _"Heellllppp!"_

"Shut up! I won't hesitate to break your neck and leave you here for dead if you don't tell me what I want to know!" he threatened darkly, ignoring her crying and shaking.

"Okay, okay! Just don't hurt me!" she begged, "I'm sorry for everything, okay?"

"_Sorry_ isn't going to guarantee my friends live through this." Seth snapped, "Now, you were in Ilex Forest waiting for me, weren't you? How did you know we'd go through there?"

"I came through here yesterday. I was sure I'd beat you here and have lots of time to battle you again, so I started practicing on the Gym Trainers." she babbled, "But then the Gym got attacked and all these Samba grunts came running in and..." she stopped and suddenly slapped him across the face. "**You** led the attack, you lying piece of _trash_!" she screamed and started running from him. Startled by the blow, Seth lost a few seconds to her, but ran faster to catch up. She was still screaming and the sound was starting to annoying him.

"This better work." the Snagger growled and leaped forward, slamming both feet solidly into the ground. To his surprise, and a somewhat pleasant one, the ground rolled under him and the resulting earthquake knocked Crystal flat on her face. The delay was enough to allow him to run up and press a boot onto her back, pinning her down. "Okay, you little scumbag. Who you **saw** leading the attack was a guy **posing** as me. What I want to know is, did you see your brother there at the same time and what **happened** to him?"

"Fine! Be that way!" Crystal wailed, "Silver showed up while everybody was running around. I hid out and watched him fight the other you, but he was beaten by your stupid duo!" She rubbed at an eye and looked at the ground angrily. "He took Silver to the Slowpoke Well on the other side of town and that's where Bugsy is, too."

"Bugsy's the Gym Leader, right? And what's the dirty secret?" Seth pressed, applying a bit more pressure to her back. She squealed and wriggled beneath his boot.

"Yes! Yes, he is! I was gonna save them later and show the world that I was the better trainer!" Crystal confessed, "I thought that if Silver was saved by me, then the Johto League would give me the title of Champion! I should have been Champion the whole time, not my stupid... not Silver! As for the secret, ask him yourself!" Seth stepped back and looked towards the Pokémon Center. Crystal took the opportunity to get up and run off. The Snagger didn't care; he had two trainers to rescue.

"I'll see you in a bit, Rui." he whispered and ran towards the center, crossing his fingers that Jupiter and Pluto were healthy enough now to battle one more time.


	5. Double Trouble, Seth Vs Fein

Ch 5

Brendan burst into the hospital room as Rui emerged from another room, a large bandage covering her temple and a small bottle of medicine in one hand. May blinked in surprise and stood up, already holding the cleaned jacket and blanket in her arms.

"I saw Fein!" he blurted and gasped for air, "He knows where we all are! We've got to find the real Seth and tell him!"

"How? He hasn't shown up here yet!" May exclaimed and held up the items, "Or else he would have gotten his jacket already!"

"He probably went to the Pokémon Center first to check on Jupiter and Pluto. Let's go there and see for ourselves." Rui added and ran towards the doors, injury forgotten when she heard about Fein. May and Brendan followed, hurrying as fast as they could to catch up.

The Pokémon Center wasn't too far and as they reached the steps, the doors flew open and the Snagger was already racing out, Poké Balls in hand and fresh strip of zinc oxide painted across his face. He stopped in surprise and blinked at Rui as they joined him.

"Rui? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be still in the medical center." he asked in confusion, "What are you _all_ doing here as a matter of fact? Didn't I tell you guys to take her to a doctor?"

"They already did. I got a few stitches but I'll be okay." Rui replied, "Seth, Brendan says he ran into Fein here!"

"I figured as much. He must be here to move Silver and Bugsy out of the well." the Snagger muttered and took the jacket from May to put on, "I found Crystal and wormed some info out of her scrawny self. Fein conquered the Gym here and trapped Bugsy, the Gym Leader, and Silver in the Slowpoke Well just outside of this town."

"Then we should go and get them out! That's probably what Fein meant by taking care of Silver!" Brendan declared, "He's gonna finish wiping him out!" Seth nodded and ran from them, leaping down the steps and racing for the well. "Hey! Jerk, wait for us!" Brendan added angrily as he and the girls ran after him.

"We don't have much time!" Seth yelled, "Hurry it up!"

* * *

Fein walked past the Gym Leader, Bugsy, tied up and stashed beside a pile of boulders to one side and headed for the back of the well/prison. Opening a barred door Team Samba built into the well, he entered a small room and smiled down at the Johto Champion that lay bound and gagged on the floor, glaring back at him in a fury.

"We meet again, Silver Summers." Fein started and knelt down to face the trainer, "You've kept such a big secret for so long. How on earth did you manage that? It must have been hellish when trying to get day to day things done." He undid the gag and pulled away quickly, laughing as Silver tried to bite his hand. "You're a very spunky trainer! I like that. It means they have strong Pokémon to steal. Don't worry. I'll take good care of yours, once they've been converted into Shadow Pokémon for Cipher."

"You lay a hand on my Poké Balls and I'll kick you from here to the Lake of Rage!" Silver snapped and cringed as Fein reached out to stroke jet black hair. "Get out of my face! And don't touch me!"

"You know, most boys don't take care of their hair the way you do. Or let it grow that long. Doesn't it get annoying having to tie it up and stuff it under your hat?" Silver struggled to get free, growling angrily as the Cipher peon played a bit more with the strands. "The world recognizes you not just for your power as a trainer, but for this silver ribbon you love to wear around your head. Think of how all the Gyms would just cave in if they were to see this pretty ribbon drenched in blood." Silver stilled and looked horrified.

"Are you... are you going to kill me?" the trainer asked in a wavering voice. Fein laughed.

"And lose your services to the Cipher Corporation before Ein brainwashes you? Not at all!" he replied, "I'm just going to make everyone think you're dead so taking over Johto becomes easier to do." Silver began struggling again, screaming loudly in fury and frustration as the peon laughed again, reaching for the silver ribbon.

* * *

Outside the well, Seth, Rui, Brendan and May could all hear the sudden shriek of outrage. Seth growled angrily and grabbed onto the ladder, climbing down as fast as he could with the others following quickly. The yell couldn't be a good sign.

"That sounds like... a girl?" Brendan asked in confusion, "Is it Bugsy?"

"Bugsy doesn't sound like a girl's name. What Pokémon does Bugsy use anyway?" May asked as they landed in the bottom of the well and started searching around.

"Bug Pokémon." Seth replied, "What else?" He heard another shriek and ran ahead, "You keep looking for Bugsy! I'll see what's making that damn noise!"

Seth stopped just outside of the cell at the back of the well's depths and scowled at Fein as he stepped out of it with a ribbon dangling from his fingers and a smile on his face.

"Fancy meeting face to face again, twin." he remarked and pocketed the ribbon to pull out a pair of Poké Balls, "You snagged my Togetic last time we faced each other, but let's see if you can stand a chance against my new Shadows!"

"Seth! I'm over here!" Rui cried as she came onto the scene and stood to one side, "I'll spot the Shadow Pokémon! May and Brendan found Bugsy not far from where we were! He'll be okay!"

"Jupiter, Pluto! Show him who's the real deal again!" Seth declared, releasing the twins. The nurse at the center had handed them to him and told him that, though they were perfectly fine now after treatment, another attack like the one Crystal had launched would most certainly kill them. For now, the Espeon and Umbreon stood fast on the battlefield, strong and healthy again.

"Ha! You think those two are going to do anything to me?" Fein declared and tossed out his own Pokémon, "Neptune, Saturn! Show them your beauty!" A second set of twins, again an Espeon and an Umbreon stood on the field, eyes narrowed at the opponent Pokémon. Rui gasped.

"Seth! Those are **both** Shadow Pokémon!" she cried.

"You lousy, two-timing, copycat! How _dare_ you take mirror images of my friends and make them into Shadows!" Seth yelled in a fury, "What were you _thinking_?" Fein smiled brightly.

"**My** Espeon and Umbreon are twin females, perfect for taking out your twin males. Espeon! Attract the Espeon! Umbreon! Attract the Umbreon!" he announced with a flamboyant sweep of his arm. The females jumped forward to the respective opponents and looked at them sweetly, cooing and rubbing against them. Seth watched in shock as his two closest friends fell for the trap, cooing and rubbing heads back, tails wagging and swaying.

"Jupiter! Snap out of it! That's just a trap to keep you from attacking!" he cried.

_"Hello there, little pretty. I'm called Jupiter. How about a round of lemonade for the two of us after this little skirmish?"_ Jupiter purred, nuzzling the female Espeon.

"Pluto! Don't you fall for that same bait!" Seth demanded of the Umbreon and looked dismayed as the Umbreon ignored him in favor of kissing up to the female, displaying how brightly his rings glowed in the dark cave as she looked coy and bat her eyes. "Guys!"

"Attract is the best way to keep Pokémon of the opposite sex from making a move. You should have studied up on Venus's favorite move." Fein taunted, "Now! Espeon! Bite the male Espeon! Umbreon! Confuse Ray the male!" The female Espeon went from cooing to a snarl, chomping her jaws onto Jupiter's neck and thrashing wildly as the male cried in pain and struggled, trying not to hit the female as he tugged and stumbled about.

"Jupiter!" Seth cried again, running up to pull the female away, only to find himself thrown to the floor by its psychic abilities as it continued tearing at the Espeon's neck. The female Umbreon flashed the light from her eyes at Pluto and slammed into his side to make him face the two Espeons. "Wait! Don't move, Pluto! Snap out of it!" the Snagger yelled, picking himself up as the Umbreon male darted forward blindly to attack one of the Espeons. May, Brendan and Bugsy ran in as Seth cried in a pained voice while Pluto bit down onto Jupiter's leg, toppling the three Eons into a heap while the female Umbreon circled them, snarling viciously. Rui was screaming and crying, tears running down her face.

"Oh Lord, this is a _bloodbath_." Brendan whispered in horror. May reached into her pack and brought out a red glass flute, putting it to her lips. She closed her eyes and played a cheerful melody on it, then switched to a yellow flute and played the same melody on that.

Jupiter bucked off both his brother and the female Espeon, then turned and slashed at the female angrily, driving it back to its sister before sitting down and panting, rivers of blood running down his shoulders and haunches. Seth stared at him in shock, then looked back at May.

"My flutes will snap them out of Attract and Confused states! Keep attacking and heal them!" she called out and pulled out the red flute, handing the yellow one to Brendan, "You play this when they get confused. I'll play the red one if they get attracted again." Bugsy blinked and stared at the flutes.

"Those are new to me." he remarked softly.

"Jupiter! Morning Sun! Pluto! Moonlight! Heal up, both of you! Quickly!" Seth ordered and dug into his pack for a pair of items. The Eons focused and waves of energy flowed around them, healing the wounds and restoring their health. "Pluto! Black Glasses!" he added, tossing out the shades. The Umbreon jumped and let them fall onto his head, covering his eyes. A dark glow surrounded him then faded, an increase in his Dark type moves adding strength to him. "Jupiter! Twisted Spoon! Catch!" Seth called, tossing him the bent and contorted bit of silverware. The Espeon nabbed it out of the air in his teeth and faced the female Espeon, glowing a soft blue from the spoon's added effects.

"Two can play this game." Fein growled and tossed out a pair of berries tied to strings that looped around the female Eons' necks, "Now, both of you! Attract the Espeon and Umbreon again!" Seth stood ready with a bottle of Hyper Potion in one hand as the females leaped forward and cooed prettily again. The twin males trembled and stepped forward to meet the playful looking females.

"Not until they get purified!" May declared and played the Red Flute again. The boys snapped out of the attraction.

"Thanks! Jupiter! Psychic the female! Plute! Bite the Espeon! We'll have to take them out of the battle one by one!" Seth declared and pulled a Poké Ball out in his Snagging arm, letting the machine charge and alter the energy field in the ball. Jupiter lashed with the attack, using the spoon to focus it and slam the female Espeon into the floor. His brother darted in and bit at the female as the second Umbreon dove in to attack viciously. "Jupiter, Pluto! Pull back!"

"Umbreon! Don't let him snag your sister! Attack with Shadow Rush!" Fein yelled. The Eon leaped back and seemed to freeze, prepared to leap at Seth as he finished charging the Snag Machine and readied the ball. Rui and the others watched in growing horror at the waves of dark energy rushing towards the female Umbreon, gathering within it and making its eyes light up in madness. Fur raised and teeth bared, it launched itself at incredible speed at the Snagger.

"Seth! Look out!" Rui finally cried. The teen barely had the time to throw the Snag Ball at the Espeon before the female Umbreon collided into him, sending both crashing to the floor. Dropping his spoon, Jupiter snapped at the peon as it tried to dart in and grab the wriggling ball on the floor, then snatched it up in his mouth when it fell still, racing away to his master. Pluto darted after him to pull the female off of Seth, the Shadow Pokémon tearing at his arm and growling savagely.

"Umbreon! Snap out of it! You're in Hyper Mode!" Seth cried, wincing painfully at the crazed animal biting into his arm and lashing with its nails at his face, neck and chest, "Stop it! Umbreon!" The female jumped back, jerking her head about and squalling, trying to make sense of its surroundings and actions. Sitting up and holding his arm, Seth watched it as the female Umbreon finally ran into a nearby rock, knocking itself aside in a heap. Fein stared at it in shock, then turned red with anger.

"Stupid things. Why did it decide to go nuts on me now? It was doing just fine before facing your team." he fumed and held out his Poké Ball. "Well, I'll just recall it before you can snag the last..."

"Snagging Pokémon! Stand back, guys!" Seth yelled as he finished charging the Snag Machine and another ball, then let it fly, cringing in pain and dropping to his knees as the injuries to his arm protested the action. The Poké Ball hit the heaving female and pulled it in, not even fighting the capture. "Pluto! Retrieve!" The male darted in and snatched it before Fein could run in and scoop up the ball himself, racing out in victory with the newly acquired Shadow Pokémon in his mouth.

"Little bastard." Fein hissed, stepping away from the group towards the edge of the short cliff they stood on. "You won't escape Cipher's reaches much longer, Seth! We'll get you back! You can count on it!" With that and a maniacal laugh, Fein turned and leaped out into the darkness, disappearing into the underground river that flowed through the well's interior to some unknown destination. May and Brendan ran to see where he could be, but only heard a splash and nothing more.

"What a battle!" Bugsy breathed and looked confused as Rui ran to Seth's side and began tending to the wounded arm. "But can anyone tell me what was up with the whole 'identical twin trainers' thing?" Brendan told him the story in a nutshell as May walked up to the injured Snagger and helped Rui remove the machine and jacket to check his wounds.

"They don't look too bad. But they must hurt like all heck." May murmured as Rui started bandaging the many cuts and bites, disinfecting what she could with a spray she pulled from her pack. Seth winced and scowled, a cut on his cheek oozing a thin trail of red down his face.

"You should see a doctor about all this. What if they get infected and you get sick?" Rui asked worriedly. The Snagger sighed as she finished the first aid and began redressing.

"I've gotten worse injuries before and never got seriously ill from them. In fact, I can't recall ever having a single day of sickness, not even a stupid little cold." he told her bluntly, "I think I can't get sick from diseases that affect humans."

"The genetic strands." Rui murmured in realization and helped him stand. Seth nodded and tested his arm, bearing the aches and pains before reaching down to pet and give healing potions to the twins that came up to him with the two snagged Pokémon in their mouths. He collected them and released the females, setting to work on healing them as well, talking softly to them as he gave them potions and treats. The twin females kept their eyes shut the whole time, trembling in what seemed to be fear, then finally relaxing and opening their eyes, looking up at him in uncertainty.

"I'm your new trainer now, and I'm going to make you the way you were before." Seth murmured and grinned at Jupiter and Pluto as they stepped up and nuzzled the newcomers affectionately. "Don't tell me you two are actually attracted to these little ladies _without_ that lousy move!"

_"I can't help it if she's cute! Look at those eyes and those legs! Rowr! Purify her quick!"_ Jupiter replied with a throaty growl.

_"Do this one first! Look at her! Such sleek black fur and her eyes shine as bright as her rings! I can picture it now, Saturn; you, me, behind the Day Care Center..."_ Pluto cooed. Seth pulled the glasses off of him and sighed, going up to recollect the forgotten spoon and put them away.

"More hormonal than me. There's a first." he muttered under his breath and picked up the silver ribbon that had apparently fallen from Fein's pocket in his dash to oblivion. Fingering it, he looked towards the cell door and put two and two together. "Rui! May, Brendan! I think I found Silver!" he called back and pushed open the door. The other trainers and the four Eons rushed up to join him and peered into the room as Seth entered to find the Johto Champion.


	6. Silver's Secret

A/N: I didn't know about the Fire Emblem thing, though that was kinda cool. Hannah, you're very sharp. You startled me a bit and made me wonder if someone leaked info on my fic. The chapter may be a touch short, but I think the fact that this one is taking more chapters to complete and the next one is a bit chilling should make up for it. Judge for yourself. By the way, one more little secret is coming and did anyone catch Celebi's reference to Hilary Duff's song? Don't worry if you didn't, there's more hints to come about what will happen to Seth in the end. One more story to go to finish the series, wahoo! I can't believe you all really like my Colosseum fics! I have an idea for another, but I'm not sure how to work it out. Oh well. Enjoy!

* * *

Ch 6

_"Get the hell away from me, you sick, twisted, perverted freak of nature!"_ a girl his age shrieked in a loud voice upon seeing Seth enter the room. The Snagger raised an eyebrow as the others followed him in to see what was happening. Despite being bound hand and foot, the captive tried to kick at him. "Bugsy! You're free! Help me kick this guy's butt!" The Gym Leader looked around and then gave Seth a confused expression.

"Silver's not here, sir. But I know I saw that other guy bring him in here. Maybe he switched Silver with this girl?" he asked. Seth knelt down and studied the girl carefully. She glared at him with gray eyes glittering angrily, pretty face framed by long jet black hair that tumbled over her shoulders. The girl was dressed in a silvery blouse and skirt with matching shoes on neat white socks. After a few moments, Seth smiled and the girl scowled again.

"Your face resembles your sister's but your spirit shows you have a strength she could never achieve." he remarked and began to untie her, "My name is Seth, if that other guy who looks like me said that it was his name, too, forget it. He's a faker named Fein who loves posing as me."

"How do you expect me to believe **that**?" the girl snapped. Bugsy frowned at her.

"Hey, you! I was **there** and watched them battle! This guy's a hero and the other's a zero! That other dude is the one who took over my Gym and kidnapped me and Silver!" he told her. She blinked and cringed as she was freed and was helped to her feet. Seth held out the ribbon to her. "Now where is he? Where's the Johto League Champion?" Bugsy demanded, short green hair mussed from the fighting he had done against Fein during his own capture the day before. The girl picked the ribbon up and gazed at it for a long minute before sighing and tying it around her head. She looked at the group in a frustrated stance, folding her arms over her chest.

"**_I_** am Silver Summers, Champion of the Johto League Challenge!" she finally declared.

* * *

Once outside of the well, the group waited for the girl to explain herself more thoroughly. Bugsy, though he would have like sticking around to hear more, had to race back to his Gym and make sure things were all right, then call the Radio Tower about Silver's return. The news of Miror B.'s arrest and Silver's freedom would be enough to drive Team Samba from Johto or at least weaken their resolve to the point that the Gym Leaders would be able to regroup and finish them off.

"My name is Silver Summers, I'm from Azalea Town. That guy who looked like you knocked me out with his Espeon and Umbreon and stashed me in the well, but he changed me out of my boy clothes into this outfit I had in my pack while I was unconscious. That's mostly why I was mad. No one except for my family and Prof. Elm is supposed to know I'm a girl." she began, "I disguised myself as a boy and went on a Pokémon journey to become Champion. When I did, I kept the disguise and went on to Kanto to find, challenge and defeat the Kanto League Champion. I've been in hiding since then, looking for the legendary dogs of Johto; Entei, Suicune and Raikou." Silver sighed. "I've been trying to find them all over the place for the last two years and no such luck. But I'm sure I'll find them."

"Uh oh." Seth murmured, turning slightly pink. Rui looked at him, unsure whether to laugh or cry. "I can explain that one." He reached into his pocket and pulled out three Ultra Balls, tossing them before him. Each one burst open to reveal the legendary Pokémon and Silver stared at them in shock. "I've had them for a year, but I snagged them from Johto a long time ago when I was part of Team Snagem."

**"You had them the entire time?"** Silver shrieked and suddenly grabbed his collar, shaking him furiously, "You made me waste two years of my life searching for Pokémon that weren't even **here** to begin with? What the hell was that all about? You jerk, you're not supposed to capture them like that! I was trying to find them to study them and send the findings to Professor Elm!" She let him go then and stepped back, face still bright red as she growled. "I ought to slap you for that, but I think a battle will do just fine instead!"

"Seth's Pokémon are too tired for that now. Can't we just say sorry and make up?" Rui asked, eyebrow raised when she had shaken her partner.

"It's okay, Rui." Seth told her, watching the three legendaries as they lit up upon seeing their surroundings. "Entei, Suicune, Raikou! This is the region where you once ran free and wild!" The three dogs turned to look at him. "Do you want to run free again?" Seth asked, walking up and petting each one. The dogs whimpered softly. "It's not a matter of my choosing. If you want to be free again, you can be. Just tell me so." he told them. The legendaries looked at each other, nuzzled Seth's body gently, then howled in joy, racing from the group into the forests and vanishing from sight. Silver watched in surprise as Seth brought the visor over his eyes and dropped the Ultra Balls to the ground, calmly crushing each one under his boot.

"You had the three legendary dogs and you let them free like that, when someone else would have kept them?" she asked him.

"Yeah. My Pokémon set me free from Cipher, I set them free from it as well. It's only fair to give three Pokémon that should never have been captured at all complete freedom." Seth replied, fighting back tears behind the safety of his reflective visor. Silver shook her head in disbelief, smiling, then blinked as the radio on her Poké Gear crackled to life.

_"This just in! Pokémon Gym Leader Bugsy of Azalea Town has been found and reclaimed his beloved Gym. Not only that but Johto Champion Silver Summers has also been found and it's only a matter of time before Team Samba is rooted out by our greatest trainer! With Miror B. behind bars, what can they possibly do to Johto now? Fight on, brave trainers!"_ the DJ announced and returned to playing music. She clicked it off and let it stay wrapped around her arm.

"That's that, then." May remarked, "So, let's go to Kanto and finish up the job!"

"First, tell me who you all are. Thanks for saving me and Bugsy, but I'd like to know your names." Silver pointed out. "Then we can go and let my parents know I'm all right by showing up in person."

"I'm Rui Roane from the Orre region and this is my partner, Seth. He doesn't have a last name, or he does but he dropped it." Rui introduced, "It's complicated."

"I'm May Thorne, Hoenn League Champion, and this is my boyfriend Brendan Birch. We're from the Hoenn region to the far north." May remarked, "It's good to see another female Champion, but why disguise yourself as a boy to enter the League?"

"Johto and Kanto treat female trainers like Poké Fans, so I called myself a boy to be taken seriously." Silver replied and stretched, "Nice to meet you all, but I'm beat. Let's go to my house and rest for the night. We'll get more done once we've had a good night's sleep." The group agreed and followed her to the Summers' house in Azalea. Seth lingered behind and looked back at the forest where the legendaries had run off, the Espeons and Umbreons gathered close around him.

"See you around, maybe. Take care." he whispered and turned to follow the group, wrapping an arm around Rui in a hug.

* * *

After receiving many hugs and kisses from her parents, and several scowling glares from Crystal, Silver showed her new friends the guest room where they could stay for the night. With Mrs. Summers busily making supper and the radio announcing the retreat of Team Samba from mysterious lightning attacks from above, they gathered together to plan what to do next.

"The region of Kanto is where some like to say Pokémon battles originated." Silver began, unrolling a map on the floor as everyone sat around it, "I've been through Kanto a few times, but I don't know it as well as Johto."

"We'll need to find the Kanto Champion then, right?" May asked over a light dinner of sandwiches and sodas, "He or she can guide us through Kanto and fight alongside us!"

"Yes, he can." Silver agreed, "The Kanto Champion is a young man a couple of years older than me by the name of Red. The only problem is, finding Red is a lot easier said than done. It took me five months to find him and I don't even know if he's still in the same place."

"Does Professor Oak know how to reach him?" Seth asked from across the room, massaging the Blaziken and Gardevoir again. Silver closed her eyes in thought and furrowed her brows.

"Ummm... not as far as I know. Red and Oak are both really good friends with each other, especially since Red helped him a ton with his Pokédex completion mission." she replied at last and looked towards the radio, "Hey, that's my favorite song. Turn it up, Brendan."

"Lightning from above, eh?" Brendan muttered about the news report as he fiddled with the dial, "Was Team Samba chased out by a storm?"

"Ooh! E-mail from Nett! Seth! He's opened up more of the file!" Rui declared happily as she checked her PDA. "'Dear Wes and Rui, I've decoded another section of the Earth Seal file after cracking the code on it. The project was created with partial technology developed by the scientists of Team Rocket. It's stowed at Indigo Plateau and is built specifically to enhance the natural abilities of Project: WSLY. I'm not sure why or what exactly the Earth Seal is yet, but I'll keep at it and let you know more about it when I can. Prof. Birch sends his thanks about Hoenn and says he'd like to have you two visit him again someday to study the Snag Machine. He thinks it's pretty interesting. I told him about it and I guess he wants to learn more about it. Well, see ya!'" she read aloud.

"He's not touching it." Seth grumbled and jerked his hand back when the female Espeon tried to bite it. "No! Don't do that! Be good!" he scolded and held his hand over the Pokémon's head as it tried to nip it again, "Drop it. Drop. No, that's not how you should be."

"What's with him?" Silver asked Rui, jerking her thumb his way. The redhead smiled and shrugged.

"He's purifying them. Shadow Pokémon have to be purified before they can go back to normal." she replied and looked down at the map. "Well, how do we get into Kanto? Maybe we can find Red there already." Silver pointed at a spot.

"Here. We can take the Magnet Train from Goldenrod City to Saffron City in Kanto. That's the fastest way to get into the next region." she replied. May stretched and yawned.

"Sorry, but I'm beat. I'll turn in early, if you don't mind." she murmured and headed for the sleeping bag set up for her on the floor. Rui watched her relax, then turned back to the other trainer.

"What kind of Pokémon do you have? Are they all really strong?" she asked eagerly, "I loved going through Hoenn and seeing how beautiful it was and all of their Pokémon in the wild. Are there same ones here or are there different ones?"

"Most of my team is still recovering, but I can show you a very special Pokémon I have." Silver remarked brightly. She brought out a Poké Ball and opened it, letting the burst of light release its charge onto the map.

A tiny mouse appeared on the paper, yellow with black edged ears and a short black tail. With rosy round cheeks and bright, round eyes, it was adorable beyond anything Rui had seen before. She squealed and clasped her hands together.

"How _cuuuute!_ What is it? It looks like a Pikachu!" Rui exclaimed. Silver smiled and picked up the mouse, letting it sit in the palm of her hand.

"This is a Pichu. His name is Teeny Pik. He's actually a bit of an oddity. You see, most Pichu can't handle their own electricity and end up hurting themselves each time they make an attack of any kind. Teeny Pik can use his electricity just fine and, in fact, is stronger than normal Pichus. He's also half the size of a normal Pichu, more or less." she explained and handed him out to her.

"I said, NO! Stop trying to bite me!" Seth continued lecturing as Rui played with the little mouse, "Jupiter, get over here and hold your new girlfriend down!" Brendan watched them and rolled his eyes.

"Starting to lose your touch, Seth-man?" he taunted, earning a venomous glare as the Snagger received only a bored yawn from his Espeon and resorted to bodily pinning the female to the floor, holding her head down with his chin. "I'm starting to wish I brought my digital camera."

"Shut up." Seth growled, "Rui, how are they doing? Can you still see a lot of the aura?" The girl looked up and scanned the Blaziken and Gardevoir, both of whom had begun pawing at Seth's jacket pocket to grab his Poké Block case. "Will you two knock it off? I thought I told you to massage each other!" The female Umbreon sniffed at them, then started to climb onto Seth's back, reaching tentatively towards the case. The Snagger himself looked as if he wanted to vanish into the floor as the group cracked up at the scene. "Ruuuuii!"

"The Blaziken and Gardevoir are doing much better, they don't have much aura left. The females look more like they'll purify faster if they travel in your party or battle with you." Rui replied between snickers. The Pichu looked at him and grinned.

_"Pokémon at play. Don't you love it when they decide to make a dogpile on you?"_ it asked teasingly.

"You shut up, too." Seth grumbled and sighed in defeat. "Rui, can you help me out?" he pleaded almost plaintatively.

"You're pathetic." Brendan murmured with a smile and got up, "She can help Silver plan our next move. I'll give you a paw... er, hand." He popped out a Poké Block of his own and held it out to the Umbreon, "Come here and get it!" The Eon leaped from Seth's back and nuzzled his hand, searching for the candy and chewing happily when she found it. Seth got up, scolded the two humanoid Pokémon for poking at his pocket, then resumed work on the female. Jupiter and Pluto had watched in amusement, glancing at each other in smiles at the distress their friend and master had been in moments earlier.

"So tomorrow we go to Goldenrod City and take the train to Kanto. Once there, we'll try to make contact with Red through Kanto's Radio Tower." Silver plotted as she took back Teeny Pik. A sparkle of light glinted from her hand and Rui caught sight of it.

"Oh! How pretty! What a nice ring!" she commented, "Is that a diamond? Wow!" Silver quickly covered her hand and turned bright pink.

"Um... yes. It's... it's just a gift... from a friend... like Teeny Pik." she stammered quietly, almost shyly. Rui blinked and looked concerned.

"Are you all right?" she asked and Silver quickly rolled up the map.

"Uh, yeah. It's getting late and you guys need rest before we can go and tackle Kanto, so good night!" she rushed and left the room hurriedly. Rui looked confused, then shrugged and got up to take a shower.

"Seth, the Gardevoir and Blaziken look like they're ready to be taken to Relic Forest." she added before going into the bathroom, "The female twins need more time." The Snagger muttered something under his breath that made all the Pokémon wince, no doubt a curse that only the creatures understood, and pulled both the Snag Machine and his jacket off to better hug the rowdy Espeon and get her to take the medicine he'd been trying to give her the entire time. "Okay, I guess." Rui sighed and turned away.


	7. Gathering of the Heroes

Ch 7

_"Took you long enough!"_ Latios grumbled irritably as Ho-Oh and Lugia arrived at Mt. Silver. They landed and sighed tiredly.

_"It's not all **our** fault, you know!"_ Lugia griped, opening and closing his beak and flapping his wings in annoyance, _"**You** try telling that bloated idiot back there that they don't make pants his size and see how fast you can get his brain to register it!"_

_"I beg your pardon?"_ Latios snapped back.

_"The Slowking in charge of Lugia's shrine. Long story. Anyways, guess who else we found on the way up here?"_ Ho-Oh replied with a smile as the legendary dogs leaped into the scene. Celebi leaped up joyfully.

_"Entei! Suicune! Raikou! He set you free! Just like I knew he would!"_ she cried happily. The three nodded.

_"I'm going to miss him dearly, though. He treated us so well after rescuing us from that awful Cipher Corporation."_ Suicune murmured, _"I remember his voice bringing me back from the darkness and such gentle hands for one of such ill repute!"_

_"He wasted no time using the Time Flute to call you, Celebi, to bring me to the light again. A man of action and great thoughtfulness is rare in this world. I only wish we could find ways to keep his heart from breaking so often these days."_ Entei added, _"Such sorrow I find in the pains he is receiving on that evil group's account."_

_"He's got a good head on his shoulders, but he needs a good mate."_ the Raikou pointed out with a grin, _"That red-head human has a gift for spotting Shadow Pokémon. Breed them together and let's see what kind of Pokémon we get!"_

_"**Raikou!**"_ the other dogs snapped at him, shocked at the words. He flinched and looked sidelong at them.

_"What? I'm just saying we need more guys like Seth in the world! I say we breed him until he's too pooped to Snag a Weedle!"_ he cried in defense, _"I don't think he'd complain that much!"_

_"Dude, too much information!"_ Jirachi groaned, covering his head where his ears would have been, _"At least we're all here. So let's get to Kanto already!"_

_"Hold on a second. I'm sending something to Rui. Jirachi, you do dreams good. Help me project this into her dream."_ Celebi remarked, holding out a shining gold light the size of a small berry in her hand. Jirachi blinked and touched it, then recoiled.

_"Holy Miltank! Why are you sending her **that**?"_ he cried, _"That's gonna drive her bonkers!"_ Celebi frowned and continued holding it out.

_"It will not!"_

_"Will too!"_

_"Will not!"_

_"Will too!"_

_"Not!"_

_"Too!"_

_"Not!"_

_"Too!"_

_"Will you two shut up and send it already? We don't have all night to goof around!"_ Latios snapped. Jirachi griped and complained, but touched the light and sent it blinking out of existance, embedded into Rui's mind for a vision. _"Now, can we **please** get out of here?"_

_"So the plan is to go to Kanto, find the legendaries of that region and have them meet us at Indigo Plateau at the appointed time?"_ Suicune asked, _"Why?"_

_"Raykyoudon is about to appear and decide the fate of the world, ourselves, and himself."_ Ho-Oh answered, _"If we aren't there to show him the good that he has within him, there is a chance that he will fall back to darkness and destroy us all. We must show him he can be pure and turn him into a legendary like us, or risk watching his power ruin the world like Groudon and Kyogre nearly did."_

_"That's what Celebi sent Rui. A vision of what is coming."_ Jirachi added. The Grass psychic jumped and hissed at him. _"She wants Rui to help him stay in the light, too."_

_"Well, that's fine and dandy."_ Raikou growled, _"But who in the Sam hill is Raykyoudon and how'd he get that much power over all of us?"_

_"Raykyoudon is far closer to a few of us than others."_ Celebi sighed, _"You know him best as Seth Evice."_ The dogs gasped collectively.

_"No! He can't be! Seth's human! How can he be a legendary Pokémon?"_ Suicune cried, _"And Evice is the name of the horrible man who wanted us all captured and made into Shadow Pokémon! How can our master be related to that hideous, hideous creature?"_

_"Everything will come together at Indigo Plateau."_ Celebi replied, suddenly looking more mysterious, mature and ominous than any of the legendaries there in the clearing, _"There Raykyoudon, Seth Evice, will either give the world the chance to go on and live, or destroy us all in a rage that is not his own. But, there is a greater threat that he will allow us to live and be free and happy, and die to ensure that his power never is used against us. In this fate, even I cannot predict the outcome, for it all lies within the choice in his heart._

_"For Seth to die in this final stand and have any chance to return to this world as either human or Pokémon, or some strange mix of both, he must return to the beginning in a way that I do not know. And yet, I have a feeling that Rui is the key to his survival..."_

* * *

Rui tossed and turned in her sleep, unable to find a comfortable position to rest in. Seth had given her multiple frowns, far less than the full out scowls he had shot at May for her blatant attempt to set her sleeping bag next to his own. In the end the bags were switched so both boys slept on the ends of the line of bedding, the girls snug in the middle.

Now he was fast asleep, Jupiter and Pluto curled up beside him for shared warmth and comfort. And Rui couldn't find peace for herself. She sat up, fluffed her pillow again and lay back down, studying his face. With his eyes closed and not holding her frozen as still happened whenever he looked straight into her own, she could take time to admire him and not feel embarrassed. Again he had eaten a great deal more than he appeared he could eat, but she merely assumed it was because of the DNA strands. If he could mimic a few Pokémon moves or powers, it probably took more energy from him than just doing normal things.

She hadn't found it odd that Seth hadn't wanted to sleep at first, wanted to stay up a little longer to work on the females that still seemed wild. Silver had returned earlier to say her last good-nights and switched the radio to a station that played a soothing melody. Poké Flute Station, she had called it. Seth konked out almost immediately, asleep before his head hit the floor. That struck Rui as a little weird, until Silver explained that she used the radio station as a way to wake up sleeping Pokémon and had no effect on humans save for relaxing them. Jupiter and Pluto grumbled as they tried to sleep around it, then had the Espeon switch it off completely. Seth continued sleeping for a few minutes, then woke suddenly and sat upright in surprise.

He refused to admit that the melody did the reverse to him what it did for Pokémon, but merely asked Rui quietly to never play the station on their Poké Gear and to please find him an aspirin.

Rui found herself growing drowsy as she lazily looked him over. It was comforting to know he was there beside her and a great deal more interesting than his sleeping in a separate bed whenever they stopped at hotels and inns back in Orre. Seth had rejected the comforts of a fluffy pillow offered to him in favor of the sturdy trench coat rolled up and set in its place. The Snag Machine lay safe in his pack, which rested beside his head. Rui reached out and lay a hand on his own, watching it jerk slightly, then relax, as if he knew in the depths of his slumber who had touched him. Comforted by that, she closed her eyes and slept, unaware of the dream that awaited her.

* * *

_She stood on grass and gazed up in wonder at a huge stadium with banners waving and trumpets blaring. Before her were a long flight of steps leading to an enormous torch that remained unlit. Standing in front of the torch was Sera Evice, laughing evilly behind a fan she brought to her face. Beside her was Gonzap, grinning down at Rui. Why he smiled, she dared not ask, fearing the answer involved Seth in some form or another. She remembered how he had enjoyed the abuse he heaped on the Snagger in the lab in Orre, how he very nearly lost himself to the hulking brute before she had the gall to kick Gonzap in the privates._

_Then there was Ein, beaming proudly. In his hand was something small and glowing. It was green, that much she could see from where she stood. What was he going to do with that?_

_Rui turned to her sides and found her friends' bodies battered and beaten on the grass, their Pokémon too exhausted to do more than fight for each breath, some even dead. She cried in horror and moved among the group, then fought back tears as she found Jupiter and Pluto among the dead Pokémon, bodies broken by some terrible force. Looking up in sorrow, Rui found the killer, a shadowy figure of a long, sinewy creature circling overhead, covered in a dark aura and roaring madly._

_She ran from the dead and up the steps towards the Cipher Admins, determined to find a way to make them pay. Crying in a fury and grief that she thought could never be had, she met them at the top of the steps. She froze in an instant when she realized that, among the bodies of her friends and the Pokémon, Seth did not lie among them. Where was he, then?_

_"He is with us." Sera murmured in answer to her silent question and the three parted to reveal a tall rod that rose from beneath the unlit torch, transforming the bronzed bowl into an antenna dish. Bound to its base, hands high over his head and mouth taped shut, was Seth, eyes wide with terror and anguish as he struggled to free himself._

_"Seth!" Rui cried and tried to move to him, but her feet felt cemented to the floor. The Snagger writhed, trying to pull himself towards her._

_"Rui! Help me! Please! I want to go back!" she could hear his voice even though he was gagged. It rang through her mind, a cry filled with despair. "Help me! I don't want to change! Rui, kill me; don't let them change me! I want to go back! Let me go back!" _

_"Back to what? To where?" Rui cried back, "What do you mean?"_

_"Trust me, Rui! Let me go back! If I don't go back, I'll never return! Please! Let me go back!"_

_Rui hesitated. She didn't want to lose him, but she didn't know where he was to go. There was a chance that letting him go would mean never seeing him again._

_When Rui didn't answer, the Admins turned to Seth and began to close in, covering him and hiding him from her sight. "Noo! No, please! Help me! No, I don't want to change! I don't want to be a monster! Please! Let me die! Let me die! Noooo!" Seth wailed in a tortured voice that suddenly became a howling as a bright green light erupted from within the tight circle of Admins._

_"He is complete. After all these years, Raykyoudon is born." Ein intoned as the three stepped back to reveal what had happened. Rui gasped softly and gazed at the creature that stood before her._

_It was slightly taller than Seth, and its flesh was darker, more stone gray in color than anything else. It almost resembled the color of his jeans and shirt, though lighter. It was still slender in build, that couldn't change. Its hands consisted of three fingers and a thumb, all ending with claws. It made her think of Blaziken's hands. The creature's legs were well shaped, ending with almost raptor-like talons, though it stood on its three toes, the hind talon held in the air. It had a tail, long and whip-like, with what appeared to be a fin at the end for swimming. The creature appeared very humanoid, even wearing a loincloth of black fabric over itself, suspended by a leather band that hugged its waist. Rui blinked and noticed that it wore a cape as well. No, not a cape. They were wings, deep blue, like Seth's trench coat, folded around its body and held in place around its shoulders by interlocking claws at the joints. The ends of the wings formed coattails, much like the Snagger's jacket had. It had hair; long, flowing, and silver-gray in color, and though she couldn't see enough to help her judge the length, she guessed it ended midway down its back._

_After the shock of seeing this beautiful new creature wore off, Rui slowly lifted her gaze to its eyes, afraid of seeing the truth she knew it to be._

_It gazed back at her with golden eyes, devoid of the soul that she had loved upon first sight. The face remained the same, even that strip of white carried over, almost dividing his face in half. But the life and spirit that had been in his eyes was gone, sucked from his body upon his 'completion'._

_The legendary Pokémon, for that was what he was now, that stood before Rui was Seth, no longer Seth the caring human who hid his emotions and sometimes failed on purpose, dropped tiny kisses onto her neck and shoulders when they were out of sight just to tickle her and lift her hopes, and tried to redeem himself every chance he found. Now only Seth as Project: WSLY, key to the Earth Seal, the bringer of doom upon the world, existed._

_"Seth... please don't be gone." Rui whispered in faint hope. The creature only raised a hand to the heavens and she followed with her eyes, watching in horror as the antenna glowed, strange dark energy crackling around his body as the sun turned blistering hot, scorching the earth and burning the forests, humans and Pokémon alike roasting in agony, their screams pounding into her ears and adding to her own._

_He dropped his hand and raised the other, bringing floods and hurricanes that could only be described as the wind and water's rage against earth. Whole cities were washed away, millions drowning in its wake, cries for mercy going unheeded as the terrible god wreaked destruction, the sinewy shadow circling overhead and roaring in victory. Rui prayed alongside the suffering, wishing for the horrors to end._

_He ignored them all, raising both hands and spreading his wings, the leathery flesh unfurling to full length._

_And the wind ceased to blow._

_Water ceased to flow._

_Sunlight ceased to glow._

_Earth ceased to grow._

_The planet spun dead in space, its elements controlled and mastered by a single Pokémon that, heartless and soulless, used the power to end all life..._

_Rui knelt alone in darkness, tears still flowing down her cheeks as she held the tattered remnants of Seth's jacket in her arms, the silver visor he so loved wearing lying before her. She couldn't think of how she could have stopped such a terrible thing from happening, the sorrow of it all too overwhelming for her._

_A soft golden glow appeared and she looked up to see what was causing such beautiful light._

_The figure of Seth, her Seth, the Snagger she loved, stood in the light, dressed in his usual outfit, even with another jacket like the one she clutched. He was watching her, a sad expression on his face._

_"Why didn't you let me go?" he asked softly. "I begged you to let me go." Rui choked on a sob and rose to her feet, reaching for him. He drifted back from her. "You let me have a fate worse than death. I thought... I thought you loved me..." he murmured, hurt deeply. She could hear his pain._

_"I didn't want to lose you again. I wanted you to live and be with me." she offered as an explanation, wincing as it sounded selfish to her own ears. "I wanted you to love me, too."_

_"What made you think I was going to leave you forever? Everything I do, I do because I love you." Seth whispered, fading into the darkness, "You have to let me go. It's all you can do to help me. Let me go. Let me go."_

_"Go where?" Rui screamed sorrowfully, running towards the retreating ghost of her partner. Angelic wings of deep blue feathers spanned from his back in a sudden burst, the light exploding brightly and blinding her as he vanished._

_"To the beginning. So I can finally come clean and ready for what I should be." Seth replied cryptically, "To the beginning, to become Raykyoudon and Seth in one form, the form I want to be with you in for all my days..."_

* * *

Seth was first to be startled as Rui screamed aloud in the throes of her nightmare, swinging one arm out and hitting him in the side. The Eons started and scattered, wild-eyed in fright. The other trainers sat up and looked around, trying to determine the cause of the commotion through their grogginess. The door flung open and lights switched on as Silver and her parents rushed in.

"What happened?" they exclaimed. Seth pulled Rui up and hugged her tightly, stroking her hair and murmuring softly as she sobbed, face buried in the front of his shirt.

"Nightmare. It's nothing. Go back to sleep, but thanks for the concern." he told the Summers and resumed rocking the shaken girl. Jupiter and Pluto calmed and decided to sleep in a heap where they fled. Silver looked at the Snagger in understanding and nodded, leading her parents out and switching the light off. Brendan sighed and flopped back into bed.

"What about? Does she get nightmares a lot?" he asked as May snuggled under her blanket and blinked sleepily up at the Snagger. Seth shook his head.

"Not really. When she does its usually about what happened to me a few months ago or what might have happened during our journey to stop Cipher the first time in Orre." he answered, "I thought she finally got over them. Guess not."

"Don't go. Don't go. I don't want to let you go." Rui sobbed, holding him tighter, "No, no. I won't let you go! Don't go!" She twisted the fabric of the shirt to keep him closer to her. Seth winced painfully, shifting to try to adjust to the sudden snugness of his clothes. "Don't go!"

"I'm not going anywhere, Rui. Now can you please... let... me... _breathe?_" he replied in a strangled voice. She loosened the grip but opted to climb onto him to hold him, sitting in his lap and attaching herself to him. "Ruuuuiii..." Seth groaned, "You're heavier than Jupiter and Pluto! Get back to bed!"

"I don't want you to go, but I have to let you go." she murmured between shaky sobs, "It's the only way. The only way you'll come back to me." The Snagger raised an eyebrow in puzzlement then shook his head.

"Rui, I told you already. I'm not going anywhere. Why would I? Fein hasn't completely ruined me yet, though I'd like to strangle him before he does it again in Kanto. There's no other reason I can think of to leave you, save for going to the bathroom." he explained gently as he began to pry her off, "And maybe for those fights that you don't need to be involved in, but other than that..."

"I dreamed you were turned into a monster." Rui whispered fearfully, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "And it was my fault. You begged me to let you go and I didn't and they turned you into a monster and you used your powers to kill the world. Everything died because of me, because I wanted to keep you." Seth looked confused and concerned, then lifted her face up to rub away the tears still falling down her cheeks.

"Rui, I'm not going to become a monster. Nothing that's happening now is your fault. And I'm not going to wind up destroying the planet because I live there too and destroying it would be bad." he told her plainly.

"But you _are_! You _are_ going to be a monster! Ein had this thing that he said would make you complete and..." she babbled and Seth suddenly looked at her with a strange expression.

"What thing?" he asked in a cold voice. Rui sniffled and shook her head.

"I don't know. It was green and little, that's all I could see. But he said it would complete you and Raykyoudon would be born." she murmured and watched as Seth's face turned pale. He pulled away from her, trembling as he hugged himself.

"Rui... Where did you hear that word?" he asked in a faint voice, closing his eyes and wishing for his shaking to stop. She didn't know the Pokémon language, couldn't understand them like he could, so where could she have picked up that term?

"It was in my dream. Why? What's wrong?" Rui answered, her fears growing at the sight of her partner's reaction.

"Rui, that's what the Pokémon are calling me..." Seth whispered, the sound of that same fear she had in his voice.

* * *

With morning came the grim realization that, upon reaching Goldenrod City and it's train station, Cipher was definitely thinking ahead. The train had no power and, therefore, couldn't take them to Saffron. Silver's eye seemed to twitch, just for a bit, before she flew into a rage, screaming at the top of her lungs.

_"Why the hell do these people like messing with the Power Center? I just finished fixing the damn thing five years ago! What kind of stupid, idiotic, half-brained, caveman, hair-scratching nitwit of a team would go and cut the power to the Magnet Train in Johto **and** Kanto? When I get my hands on them, they're gonna wish their ancestors never crawled out of the primordial sludge pool!"_ she raged as Seth and the others carefully stepped backwards from her. Silver paused to take a breath and continue but a sudden wind kicked up around them and the group held up their arms for protection. Dust swirled around them as Seth bent to let the wind rush over him, drawing Rui beneath to protect her.

"Whaaaa? What's that? It's like a dinosaur flying!" Brendan cried, peeking up at a large red Pokémon that descended from above to land among them. Silver jerked her head up and stared in frozen shock at it, face turning bright pink. May squealed from the winds and reached out for someone to grab onto. Seth jumped back from her and she grabbed Brendan instead, hugging him tightly and wondering if, maybe, she should just stick with what she knew.

The winds died and everyone straightened to see who or what had just decided to join them. A figure leaped up from the back of the Charizard, as that's what Seth identified it as, flipped gracefully through the air, and landed neatly before Silver, gazing at her with obvious seriousness. Silver blinked and turned her eyes down, suddenly quiet and docile.

"Hello, Red. I suppose this means that... you're here to..." she murmured. Red shook his head and looked at the wary group.

"Now is not the time. You're not ready to accept it completely. Maybe after all this you will be." Red replied cryptically and scanned the group. "So you four are the ones who rescued Silver." he declared at last with a small smile, "I heard about it all from the gym leaders I finished helping." A Pikachu raced from the Charizard and scampered up the trainer's body to perch on his backpack, looking at the group from over his head. "Thank you for rescuing my fiancée. I probably would have torn this new team apart to get her back." he finished. Silver blushed a deeper red as her friends cried in surprise.

"You're going to be Red's _wife_?" Brendan shrieked, "Why didn't you say anything about that? I thought you said you couldn't find him!"

"I didn't lie, if that's what you think." Silver snapped, returning to her normal attitude, "It was a pain to find him the first time, and I didn't even know I found him until after we started a battle!" She threw back a loose lock of hair and breathed deeply. "After hearing word that the legendary Champion, Ash Ketchum, now called Red, was hiding and training in the caves of Mt. Silver here, I took off to battle him. But during my hike through the caves, I fell down through a weakened floor into a pit and twisted my ankle. A trainer with a Pikachu on his head rescued me and kept me safe until I healed."

"Weren't you still posing as a boy then?" Seth asked, just as confused as the others but not willing to show it. The emotion still carried in his voice. Silver nodded.

"Yeah, Red found me out by checking my backpack for first aid supplies while I was konked out. After I was better, he told me that he knew what I had done and told me to change clothes if I wanted to battle him. I was so mad, I went with it, and told him he'd be sorry for battling me." she went on and then paused, turning pink, "We started the battle and went all out with our teams. The battle took hours, it felt like."

"And he beat you?" May asked in a whisper, thinking how bad it might have hurt her pride and would explain why she was so meek around the great Champion.

"No, **I** beat **him**. Pikachu was the last Pokémon he sent out and I took it down with Sandslash, but barely. Red was more powerful than I had thought." Silver admitted, "After the battle, he walked up to me with an expressionless face and told me he was the Champion I had been looking for." Her pink deepened. "And that I was the Champion he was hoping for, too. He gave me this ring and said that I would be his wife in due time. Red would only marry the trainer that defeated him in fair battle. And I was the one to do it." she finished, holding up her hand with the diamond ring.

"Oh! That's the gift from the friend!" Rui exclaimed happily, "How romantic! Your prize for winning the battle was an engagement ring!"

"And the Pichu she carries with her." Red added, "Teeny Pik is the son of Pikachu, bred from a Wild Pikachu he found near the mountain." He grinned up at his beaming Pokémon. "Said she had a shock that wouldn't quit."

_"Still doesn't! Hoo-hah! That's my girl!"_ Pikachu crowed and both Seth and Red laughed at the proud statement.

"Both of them laughed? What was so funny?" Brendan muttered, looking at the Kanto Champion and the Snagger.

"His Pokémon said..." Seth began but Red interrupted.

"Wait, you understand the Pokémon language?" he asked seriously, walking up to him. Seth nodded, suddenly defensive as the champion studied him closely. Red peered at him, standing a few inches taller than the Snagger. "You're the one... they warned me of..." he murmured softly, "Raykyoudon."

"Hey, back off. Don't call me that, _Ash_." Seth hissed, stepping back quickly.

"Long as you don't call **me** that." Red replied coolly and turned to face the Goldenrod Train Station for a few minutes. "So, the team that took over Kanto cut the power to the station? That's all right. I know another way to Kanto, but it's going to be rougher and we'll need Water Pokémon." The group waited impatiently as he turned and grinned. "Sorry, I never asked for your names. I've been away from my old friends for so long, I've completely forgotten my manners. I'm Red, as you all know now. What are your names?"

"Brendan Birch of Hoenn."

"May Thorne, Hoenn League Champion."

"Rui Roane of Orre."

"Seth."

"Short and to the point." Red remarked with a smile at the Snagger, "I like that." He adjusted his cap and thought carefully. "Yes, there are two routes to Kanto. The Indigo Plateau Pass and the Tohjo Falls. It'll be safer to go through the falls than the pass." he remarked.

"Why?" Rui asked, completely lost as to what had occurred between Red and Seth moments earlier.

"Indigo Pass is being taken by another group of Pokémon that shouldn't be disturbed." Red replied, "Tohjo Falls offers more ease of travel and we can sneak around to Pallet Town from there. Since my travels took me between Johto and Kanto, I was able to make a path from the falls to Pallet that people don't know about."

"All right. Any new e-mails from Nett?" Seth remarked to his partner. She checked the PDA.

"'Dear Wes and Rui, Professor Elm sends his thanks for the help in Johto and apologizes again to Seth for his rudeness. I wonder why? Anyways, Prof. Oak says that the Kanto region is going crazy, all the leaders there are waging war against Team Berserker and the Silph Corporation is being put under siege by grunts. On top of that, there's rumors going around of a strange new Pokémon that keeps them from using weather affected moves. It doesn't hang around long enough for a photo, but people are starting to panic. You're almost done. Keep it up!'" she read aloud and looked worried. "Strange new Pokémon? Could it be the one from my dream?" she whispered.

"It's settled, then!" Red declared with a laugh and thrust his fist into the air. "To Tohjo Falls and the rescue of the world!" The others followed suit.

"To Tohjo Falls!" All of them were careful to ignore Seth, who had promptly fallen to the ground and rolled in laughter, holding his sides, upon hearing the new team name being announced.

"By the fires of Ho-Oh, Cipher is going to kill me with laughter before they can conquer the world!" he howled, kicking at the air and squeezing his eyes shut so tightly, tears came through.

Little did the group know that the battle was far from over...

To Be Continued


End file.
